A powerful space: Indigenous Medicine Garden grows more than food – ENC
August 6, 2024
An Indigenous medicine garden is much more than a space where traditional plants grow. The garden is also a classroom, the foundation of a curriculum, a reciprocal relationship, a revitalization of culture, an act of decolonization and a wealth of untapped potential.
The Indigenous Medicine Garden, the latest addition to the Farm at RRU, was designed by Kenneth Elliott, Cowichan Elder and ethno-botanist, and cultivated by Solara Goldwynn, farm & food systems lead for the Farm at RRU, as well as Elders and consultants from the Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
The space is a haven for Indigenous plants and medicines, and those who wish to learn from them. The Farm at RRU also hosts a Giving Garden and Market Garden and expands each year with support from donors and volunteers. Goldwynn has big dreams for the space, and for the Indigenous Medicine Garden in particular.
