The agreement between Songhees Nation and Oak Bay council for them to run the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant at Turkey Head for a trial period is absolutely wonderful.
They are the best of cooks! I have eaten many a meal served by them at numerous workshops over the years and have always been amazed. Their salmon dishes, clam chowders and bannock are to die for. But even more exciting is the huge upsurge of support that I anticipate they will receive. I can already foresee all 13 associations of ReconciliACTION Oak Bay with their 5,000-plus followers on board. Parents, educated by their schoolchildren, will also be in the lineup.
Oak Bay is changing. We have come to understand what we have been missing in this end of town for the past 120 years, when we founded the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich in 1906, segregating them, excluding them from our lives. We are starving for their presence on many levels and know that they can help us rejuvenate our community in a very healthy, mindful way, especially in light of new provincially imposed housing quotas. They have a great deal of energy, imagination and vision. I have only known them to be a very loving people who are peaceful, kind, sharing and generous.
Spewhung (pronounced ‘spay-wung’) or Turkey Head was once one of their many villages. They deserve a very warm welcome in return. That is the least we can do for a very deserving people. They will not only bring us and our children much insight culturally and environmentally, but will have great financial backing provincially, federally and privately through non-governmental organizations, which will be great for our strangely weak municipal budget as well, being small in size and population.
David Newell
Oak Bay
