Blueberries

Overview

Chad Kwakajesuk, speaking as one of the community's youth, on picking blueberries with family, harvesting sustainably, and why forestry planning has to respect berry areas.

About this video

Blueberries belong to summer but connect to much more: walking the trails with family, learning which patches are ready, and how the land changes from year to year.

Sustainable harvesting takes what's needed and leaves the patch strong for next season, and because forest and berry areas are one landscape, forestry planning has to respect the places families harvest.

Transcript

Hello, my name is Chad Kwakajesuk and I'm a member of Brunswick House First Nation and I'm happy to share a message today about blueberries. Blueberries are one of those things that feel like they belong to summer, but they connect to so much more than a season. For me, blueberries remind me of being out with family, walking the trails, looking for patches and paying attention to what the land is doing. You learn which areas are ready, you learn that some patches need more time, and you learn how the land changes from year to year.

When you harvest blueberries, you're not only getting food, you're learning the land, you're learning timing, you're learning how things grow and how the territory supports life. That's why it matters when we harvest in a respectful, sustainable way. Sustainable harvesting means we take what we need. We don't destroy the plants and we leave enough so the patch can come back strong next season. Because if we harvest without thinking, the berries can disappear or the patch can weaken.

And when that happens, future seasons get harder and future generations lose out. Forestry connects to this too because forest and berry areas are part of the same landscape. When the forest changes, it can affect sunlight, moisture and how plants grow. It can also affect access: whether it's still easy and safe to reach for harvesting places our families rely on. So it matters that forestry planning respects harvesting areas, including berry areas, because these are a part of everyday life and our traditions.

As youth, we want to keep learning these ways. We want to keep going out picking berries and sharing experience with our families and community. If the land is protected and we harvest it sustainably, the berries and teachings behind them can continue for future generations. Miigwech.