Tea Creek Doc: Indigenous Farming, Truth & Reconciliation

0:00A new documentary called Tea Creek had its screening at Totemhall in Squamish on March 19th, drawing a big crowd that needed extra chairs. It stars Indigenous Farmer Jacob Beaton, who runs the Tea Creek Farm and Training Center in Northern British Columbia's Gidexan Territory. The film dives into Indigenous food sovereignty, highlighting how first nations people managed advanced agriculture for thousands of years before. European settlers arrived. Beaton explains that schools often skip this history portraying Indigenous people as simple hunter-gatherers instead of skilled farmers who domesticated key crops like corn. Colonial policies under the Indian Act wrecked these systems with rules like the peasant farm policy limiting tools to hand ones in the past and permit system blocking sea purchases or food sales. Land was seized through high taxes and restrictions on offers herb ownership. The event sparked strong reactions from attendees, many grappling with grief and anger over these buried truths. Beaton stresses that truth and

1:03reconciliation mean little without action, urging non-Indigenous Canadians to learn the facts and become allies in, rebuilding food systems. He praises experts like a Saskatchewan agriculture professor for backing his message. Funding for Tea Creek comes mostly from private sources, including American donors as government support lags. Beaton notes Canada's food insecurity, despite vast farmland, mostly used for exports, and sees Indigenous knowledge revival as key to fixing it. The farm serves as a healing space where trainees feel valued. Positive buzz around the film crosses political lines with no backlash so far and growing support pushing it forward. Beaton's family ties to Squamish make the area feel like home, strengthening these community connections for the road ahead. Vancouver news today, powered by AI bringing you what matters. I'm Corey with The Story.