naaʔuu feast puts traditional Tla-o-qui-aht food on culinary map

As the caterer for naaʔuu, a new Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation cultural dinner experience, Roberta Tom is now realizing her dream, bringing Tla-o-qui-aht Indigenous foods to the forefront on the traditional unceded homeland of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (commonly known as Tofino), for the spring 2024 edition of naaʔuu running this May-June 2024.

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Tom, whose name in Tla-o-qui-aht is Shewish kis (which means “She’s always so hospitable. Always welcoming people on her shores”), was born in Tofino, grew up in Port Alberni, and returned to the coast to cook when she was 19 years old. 

She is now a mother and grandmother, bringing generations of knowledge of the Vancouver Island Indigenous foods to her cooking for the naaʔuu events. 

Pulling flavours from the Tla-o-qui-aht lands, and cooking techniques from her elders, the menu will include local salmon, fresh oysters, scallops, snapper, shrimp, root vegetables, berries, and breads.

“I have been taught by my mother and my grandmother, my grandparents about food and about the importance of food and the way we have harvest in different locations, different seasons. 

We take what we need, and that's all. And then if we have extra, we share. We're taught how to cook, we're taught different ways to cook the food.”

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Attending naaʔuu creates an opportunity for those visiting the Tofino area to be immersed in a tangible cultural experience, and bring consciousness to the long standing presence of First Nations on Vancouver Island. The naaʔuu events will create accessibility for guests looking to learn about traditional Tla-o-qui-aht culture, and in making Indigenous food more accessible in Tofino. 

“I want people to know this is what we do. This is how we eat. We eat the fish from the head to the tail. We don't waste any part of the fish” Roberta explains. 

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation's Carl Martin explains, “when I collect clams, I collect clams for my uncles, aunts, my grandmothers. I don't just get it for me, but like I said, we don't ever over harvest. Never, ever, doesn't matter what you're doing. 

We have respect for the creatures, the land, water.”

Martin adds, “Food is very important because the land took care of us, and we take care of the land.” 

With the variety of cultural components woven into the naaʔuu experience, from food to art to music and storytelling, the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation hopes to encourage a revolution to bring people back to the land, back to the Tla-o-qui-aht culture, back to the heart of the First Nations on Vancouver Island. 

Roberta explains, “The stories that we have keep our tradition going, keep our culture going, keep our ancestors who taught us all this going. The importance of being connected through the waters, through the oceans, the lakes, the rivers, the air, and your backyards.

By eating food together and telling the story, we're going to remember that story for the rest of our life."