The Profusion of Potatoes in Pre-Colonial British Columbia
THE PROFUSION OF POTATOES IN PRE-COLONIAL BRITISH COLUMBIA Ǽ STELLA WENSTOB ABSTRACT In 1858, the explorer, trader, and Indian agent, William Eddy Banfield published an article for Vancouver Island’s first news- paper, the Victoria Gazette, describing the trade and cultivation of potatoes among the First Nations of Vancouver Island’s West Coast. Banfield described a great feast among the Tla-o-qui-aht people that centred on the consumption of the prestigious trade good, potatoes. This highly ritualized, culturally and socially significant practice of the potato feast raises many questions about the early European perception of dynamism among First Nations people. By tracing the early diffusion of the potato dur- ing this time period, I use the potato as a medium to examine shifting perceptions regarding European perceptions of Pacific Northwest First Nation’s land use. INTRODUCTION In 1858, the explorer, trader, and Indian agent, William Eddy Banfield published an article for Vancouver Island’s first news- paper, the Victoria Gazette, describing the trade and cultivation of potatoes among the First Nations of Vancouver Island’s West PLATFORUM. VOL. 12 2011 133 Coast. Banfield described a great feast among the Tla-o-qui-aht people that centred on the consumption of the prestigious trade good, potatoes (Sept. 9, 1858). This highly ritualized, culturally and socially significant practice of the potato feast raises many questions about the early European perception of dynamism among First Nations people. How did this non-traditional foodstuff so readily become a sig- nificant part of the indigenous diet? The First Nations’ relation- ship to the potato was furthered by interactions with Europeans who came to the Pacific Northwest.
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