Program on the Environment

I worked with the Skokomish Tribal Nation to make a film documenting their traditional plant foraging. I filmed interviews and local plant gathering with a few tribal members. I was interested in learning the cultural signifi- cance of connectedness to food for the Skokomish and how the preservation of food traditions help to preserve cultural traditions. The focus was to film the gathering of specific plants, when and how they were gathered, and their uses. Interviewees detailed the importance of passing on their knowledge of the plants: preserving their culture, aiding in community health, and promoting sustainability. Participants also discussed the potential environmental threats to maintaining these traditions and how property rights play a role. I was able to learn about restoration work being done in the Skokomish area film discussion on the topic. The goal was to produce a short documentary that can be used to educate Skokomish youth on native plant gathering.