VanLife Part 1: Magick, Medicine and New Friends
Today I want to introduce you to someone.
Amelia Washington being gifted harvesting bags.
Her name is Amelia Washington. She is an Indigenous elder, healer, teacher, leader and member of the Nooaitch Band and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology’s Elders Council in Merritt, B.C.
Before I do, I want to share a little bit about how Amelia came to be special to me and my partner Jason.
To do that I need to take you on a little journey beginning back in early June when my partner and I embarked on 23-day adventure around B.C., living out of our renovated campervan we affectionately named Hedwig.
My partner and I are looking for a home. More specifically, we are looking for a piece of land where we can create a refuge in nature, and invite others to experience a different way of life. I had this knowing that it would be the land itself that would call us in; that we would fall in love with a place and its people, and that the logical mind would not be the one to get final say on this decision.
So, we decided to explore what B.C. had to offer. We bought a van. We converted it to a camper. We prepared and researched and planned for provisions and safety and weather. We did not decide on a specific route, but we did set some intentions.
Prior to setting out on Part 1 of our adventure in June, my partner and I both set the intention of wanting to connect deeply with the land, and to, if possible, meet and connect with some people who are indigenous to the places we were visiting, and learn a little bit of their customs and ways.
Given we were in the midst of a pandemic, we did not know how (or if) this would be possible. We both wanted above all else to be respectful, and agreed that we would not enter any community that was not accepting visitors.
Beyond these intentions, our plans were flexible. On June 1, 2020, we set out, heading north on Hwy 99 past Whistler. We knew our general direction: Prince George, Prince Rupert, then (hopefully) Haida Gwaii (although at the time we left the island was closed to visitors, and, spoiler alert, it still is so we did not get to visit), then back east and south, and eventually home. We knew we had a little over three weeks, we knew our van fully loaded could sustain us 10-14 days, and we had an app that showed us some back-country camping places. That’s it. The rest was up to the pull of the land, and our hearts along the way.
The first thing I will say is that it is impossible to overstate the beauty of this province.
We were completely and repeatedly blown away.
Hwy 16 west of Terrace on the way to Prince Rupert.
The drive from Prince Rupert to Prince George along the Skeena River is heavenly. Driving east into the sunset on a winding deserted road alongside a train track, sandwiched between mountains to the north and the rushing Skeena to the south, I was left speechless and humbled; my heart that weird emotional mix of grief and hope and gratitude that shows up when we are reminded there is still untouched wildness and beauty in this world.
The rest of our adventures up north did not disappoint either. From Prince Rupert we headed east to Terrace, and then north into the Nass Valley, home to the Nisga’a Nation. From the eerily powerful experience of driving through the lava beds, to a middle of the night bear-filled adventure on an old pothole-laden logging road, to an unexpected birthday celebration with an Indigenous man north of Kitiwanga complete with fireworks, to endless campfires, sunsets and stars so bright they make city lights seem dull, the north stole our hearts.
Arriving back in Prince George we restocked on food and fuel, and had a much-needed shower at a Husky truck stop, before beginning our journey east on Hwy 16 towards McBride. Again, there are so many stories I could tell of the adventures we had on Hwy 16 and the little lakes that populate the land in this area, but I’m trying to get to the part of the story where we met Amelia and her family, so for now I will only say this: the magick never stopped.
Past McBride we turned south on Hwy 5 towards Kamloops, and the adventures continued. From being invited to join a bachelorette camp out, to skinny dipping with new friends, to mystical experiences with a local shop owner who encouraged us to make Clearwater area the home of our retreat centre, we were abundantly blessed with nourishing connection and the beauty of nature. Though I didn’t think it possible, I’d say Clearwater (and especially Dunn Lake) stole my heart even more than the powerful Skeena up north.
And then just when we thought it couldn’t possibly get better, it did. After a wonderful visit with my cousins in Chase east of Kamloops, and some exploration of the desert (which was stunning!), we found ourselves at a little recreation site on the Nicola River west of Merritt.
When we found a spot we liked, out of courtesy, Jason went over to meet out neighbour, and ask if he minded if we camped next to him. He was a middle-aged man with a camper and appeared to be by himself. He said sure, and later that evening came over for a beer at our campfire to get to know us. We hit it off right away. Over the course of the evening he let us know that his wife and her family, who were Indigenous to the area, and members of the band who owned a portion of the recreation site, would be joining him the next day. He encouraged us to come over for a fire the next night and meet them.
Of course, we did. The following day we joined him at his fire, and met his wife, her sister, and “Aunt Amelia”. They were all very welcoming, and I had this feeling like we were supposed to meet them, and get to know them. Over the course of the four days we were camped next to them, we became good friends. We learned a lot about the area, its sacred sites, and the traditional ways of the Indigenous community in the area.
Amelia took us out to pick traditional herbs and medicines. She taught us about the plants in the area and some of their uses. She also made traditional bannock for us, and led a healing ceremony for Jason and I on our parting. Other family members, took us out for a drive on the land and showed us the property they were just starting to develop into a teaching and healing retreat centre, very similar to what Jason and I want to do. There were so many moments of serendipity and profound alignment with life.
We laughed for hours by the fire every night. Deep connections were forged. We were encouraged to come back. And so we will.
Jason and I have just embarked on Part 2 of our van adventure. We left this past Sunday and will be away until early September. We are exploring the southeast of B.C. this time, heading first to Nelson area, then north to Revelstoke, and back around through the Okanagan, before spending the last week of our adventure back in the Nicola Valley visiting our new friends.
We are still open to where we settle, but I can say that a little piece of my heart already lives in the Nicola Valley, and, regardless of where we end up, I am looking forward to visiting again, and will be forever grateful for the experience, and the connections.
I hope my story has given you a good sense of the generous and wise spirit of Amelia Washington.
You can learn a little bit more about Amelia’s history and background in this recent story published in the Merritt Herald (https://www.merrittherald.com/medicinal-garden-honours-elders-at-nvit/) and about her role on the Elder’s council at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology here: https://www.nvit.ca/about/elderscouncil.htm.
If you are interested in learning more about how to harvest and use traditional foods and medicines check out Amelia's Facebook page, Amelia’s Traditional Food Gathering. She is regularly taking groups out on the land to harvest the medicines that are in season.
You can also check out a video of Amelia on a recent CNA - c̓eweteʔ (Wild Celery) Harvest on July 3, 2020 here.
Amelia Washington welcoming their youth onto their land at the canoe launch on Nicola Lake.
Amelia is truly wise, intuitive and generous. She is a gift to all who cross her path. If you are ever in the Nicola Valley I encourage you to join one of the groups she takes out on the land to harvest traditional medicines. You will not be disappointed.
And now, the adventure continues…
Xo,
Danielle