On a cold Tuesday morning, with Valleycliffe’s snowline peeking through the clouds, students from Valleycliffe Elementary and the St’a7mes School Indigenous Leadership Group gathered in their outdoor classroom.
Hands dirty and spirits high, they planted spá̓nanexw (blue camas) bulbs—a small but powerful act of care for the land.
The ceremony began with 17-year-old Kaltee Baker, from the village of St’a7mes, singing a traditional Skwxwú7mesh song. Her voice echoed through Classroom 8, where students sat in a circle in Linda Peterson’s room before heading outside to plant.
“It’s a gift,” said Peterson, who took on the project of planting 81 blue camas bulbs in an open field at the school.
“Which school on the planet has something like this? A space to learn from, tend to, and build a relationship with nature?”
For Peterson, who’s been teaching since 1998, this outdoor classroom isn’t just a teaching tool—it’s a “lifeline for students to connect with the natural world.” And in a time when forests are rapidly giving way to urban developments, that connection feels more important than ever.
Why blue camas?
Blue camas, or camassia, holds deep cultural and ecological significance.
According to a paper published in 2021, blue camas (camassia quamash), called spá̓nanexw in the Skwxwú7mesh language, is a plant native to the Pacific Northwest. It is culturally significant to Indigenous communities, including the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) people, who have traditionally relied on its bulbs as a key food source.
“It bloomed last year, and the kids were thrilled,” Peterson said. “I thought, ‘Why not create a little field of it, like it used to be?’”
The idea took root after Peterson read a children’s book, Blue Camas, Blue Camas, which she found at the Gather Books downtown. “It talks about how settlers disrupted Indigenous ways of life and nearly wiped-out plants like camas,” she said.
For Peterson, the initiative is more than just planting bulbs. It’s about honouring Indigenous knowledge and fostering a sense of reciprocity. “We talk about being in a relationship with the land,” Peterson said.
“It’s personal. What does it mean to care for a blue camas or a northern rice root?”
Hands-on, heart-first
Peterson and her students from Grade 1 weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty on 19 Nov.
Over the years, they’ve made stinging nettle pesto, harvested spruce buds, and even crafted salves. “We’re gifting the salve we made last year to our guests today,” Peterson said with a smile.
Each project ties back to the First Peoples Principles of Learning. “If we use these resources, we do it respectfully,” she said.
A community effort
The blue camas project wasn’t a solo mission.
Nine leadership students from St'a7mes School, cultural worker Maureen Baker, and others had joined in. “It’s all about coming together,” Peterson said.
Matthew Van Oostdam, a teacher at the St'a7mes School explained the purpose of the day. “As leadership youth, we were there to pass on the teachings we’ve received as Skwxwú7mesh youth. These teachings guide us on how to carry ourselves when working with plants, traditional foods, and medicines.”
The group shared their skwálwen (spiritual and emotional self) with their peers.
“The youth shared about their skwálwen and how when doing this work planting spananexw bulbs that they need to make sure they are feeling good in their mind, body and spirit.”
Looking ahead, Peterson dreams of planting every species mentioned in Leigh Joseph’s book, Held by the Land.
“We already have a few, but imagine if we could grow them all,” she said.
A simple message
Peterson’s message is clear, "Appreciate the natural world. Take care of it. It’s that simple.”
In a world that often overlooks the quiet importance of plants, Peterson hopes these lessons will stick with her students. “This space is a gift,” she said with watery eyes. “And it’s our job to care for it, with humility and gratitude.”
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
