In
1929 the City of Vancouver drained the bog because a house was encroaching into
the once beautiful bog and dried it out. 5000 years
ago the Camosun bog formed when a heavy block of ice started a depression in
the land. First it was a lake then a swamp and lastly a bog.
Hemlock trees started
growing and many trees got taken down in 1991. Sphagnum moss got planted and maintenance
improved greatly. Soon recruits for volunteers started piling up and students
from schools visited the bog more and more. Age is no limit to visit this bog
many come to check it out. An estimated 30,000 hours has been put into the restoration
to this bog and many more to come.
One man states “ it’s actually essential to
have the assistance of the metro Vancouver for the bog.” Metro Vancouver
provides a lot of help into the financial support for tea breaks for the
workers and visitors to the bog. The volunteers play a huge role in helping
people appreciate nature and the Camosun bog.
Source:
Elder Larry Grant's is a language keeper of the
Musqueam People. Larrys parents are Chinese and Musqueam.
He says that
the Camosun bog reduced in size because of people draining the bog for urbanization
and non cultural activities. Larry grant is sad that such beautiful life was destroyed
and that erases all evidence of story from the Musqueam peoples. Larry says
that “it’s another step into removing First Nations Peoples.” Larry grant also
wishes that the bog will grow and expand in size so it can become a universal
teaching tool with so much value in it.
This is a pole carved by a Musqueam artist
placed at UBC. The pole tells a story about the Camosun bog.
The elders warned
people of a small lake where the serpent lies and slithers. They were warned as
youth to be cautious and not go near or they would be killed instantly. The
serpent passed over died and from its droppings bloomed a new plant, the
məθkʷəy̓
For this reason the people of long ago named
that place xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam – place of the məθkʷəy̓)
https://fnel.arts.ubc.ca/the-musqueam-sʔiɬqəy̓-qeqən-double-headed-serpent-post-dedicated-at-ubc/
