A children鈥檚 book leading the reader on a woodsy walk grew from the ethnobotanist author鈥檚 previous work 鈥� Held by the Land.
Squamish author Leigh Joseph鈥檚 The Land Knows Me, is an educational, hands-on journey to discover the uses and gifts of the plants told through the eyes of her children and niece.
Through the Indigenous traditions of Squamish culture, readers learn how to ground themselves on the land alongside many teachings about plants, cultural stories and learnings related to the flora.
Joseph, whose ancestral name is Styawat, is an ethnobotanist, researcher, activist and Indigenous founder of Skwalwen Botanicals. Her aim is to heal the intergenerational effects of cultural trauma within the Squamish Nation by learning, working with and preserving Indigenous plants, and carrying them forward into the modern world.
Held by the Land and now the children鈥檚 book The Land Knows Me hone in on the best way to learn about plants 鈥� through observing and interacting with living examples.
鈥淏ringing language, renewing plant knowledge, it鈥檚 really my way to honour those people who fought to carry knowledge through those very difficult circumstances,鈥� she said. It also plants the seeds for future generations; encouraging an early start to building relationships with the natural world.
Even the title The Land Knows Me, holds intent.
鈥淚t was really wanting to make the land an active character, something to be in relationship with and get to know. When that happens, when we have those land-based connections in our lives, that gives back supporting us as humans,鈥� Joseph said.
Incorporating Squamish language was important, as were the visual cues such as the woven red cedar hats and beaded earrings in illustrator Natalie Schnitter鈥檚 images.
Making the teachings as accessible to youth as possible felt important. The Land Knows Me is designed for children, featuring children 鈥� hers who are 9 and 11, and her three-year-old niece 鈥� who have been on the journey of reconnecting to culture with plants since they were born.
A colourful introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge, the book includes informative sidebars, reflection questions, and plant names in both Squamish and English so children can learn a new language. The back features a 15-plant directory featuring detailed illustrations and kid-friendly botanical drawings to help the learning process.
While focused on the cultural importance to the Squamish Nation, the knowledge is widely applicable.
鈥淲hen I set out to write my first book Held by the Land, there was question about what range it would cover,鈥� Joseph said. Ethnobotanical books usually cover a lot of communities with less information, while her approach is in-depth in the area she knows best. 鈥淲hat I felt I could do was tell my story and ground it in my community but tell it in a way that it鈥檚 accessible,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he framework of this knowledge and the messaging will resonate well beyond.鈥�
Many of the plants range across coastal B.C. and some, such as yarrow or wild rose, are found well beyond the province.
鈥淚t was a balance of picking plants that are culturally important here, have a large growing range, and are friendly in a regard their safe to engage with,鈥� she said, noting nettles were maybe not a good fit with a book for children.
Launched March 4, The Land Knows Me is already hailed on Amazon as the third most gifted children鈥檚 book. It鈥檚 available at several Greater Victoria shops and spas, by order at any bookstore or online through Skwalwen Botanicals.
