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Meat belongs to First Nations

Some Oak Bay residents want to preserve remnants of those tree arrangements and inform people of those tribal activities.

What was Angus Mathews’ purpose in claiming mention of “tribal people” in my letter on deer cull perspective was “offensive” yet not providing any explanation of his opinion (Letters, Sept. 24)?

Has he not heard of people whose ancestors lived been here several millennia longer than anyone arrived from Scotland? Those people encouraged deer reproduction by creating open spaces in forests, which provide “interface” areas which provide food and shelter for animals live. They killed deer for food and for skins they used as clothing and shelter. What they created using fire are known as “Garry Oak meadows”, where they could harvest roots of Camus lilies (if they knew which variety was not toxic).

Indeed, some Oak Bay residents want to preserve remnants of those tree arrangements and inform people of those tribal activities.

The successful cull in the BC government study provided deer meat to the food bank. Many people today would be eager to harvest the deer, but I’d give preference to descendants of those tribal people.

Keith Sketchley

Saanich