Our Story and Mission
The original smokehouse program was established in 1996 out of a deep concern that young village families might lose the traditional knowledge required to prepare fish. What began as a pilot project with 10 people and four smokehouses—one for each tribe—has grown into our organization’s most popular initiative.
Over the years, we have trained well over 200 people, boosting their skills and confidence while significantly enhancing the community’s quality of life through the food produced.
Program Details
- Evolution: Originally offering completion incentives, the program transitioned to providing wages for participants.
- Priority: While initially providing for each tribe, the program now prioritizes elders and low-income families, funded by Social Development.
- Commitment: Smoking fish is a dedicated process that requires a significant time commitment; once the smoking starts, it cannot be stopped.
- Community Impact: Throughout the season, the smokehouse crew makes 1-2 monthly distributions of traditional foods to the community.
- Recognition: Our facilities have been toured by guests from around the globe and featured on the television show Moosemeat & Marmalade.
Our Traditional Products
As our crew’s knowledge increases, so does our variety of offerings. Current products include:
- Smoked T’ibin (sea lion)
- Sundried and smoked oolichans
- Smoked sockeye and spring salmon
Note on Sales: While tourists and other communities often ask to purchase our products, we currently decline these requests to remain focused on feeding those in need within our community.
Future Vision
Our goal is for the smokehouse program to become fully self-sustaining. Future plans include:
- Running a dedicated annual fisheries program.
- Hosting commercial fishery openings for local fishermen.
- Utilizing one smokehouse for commercial food production to fund the program.
Navigating Regulations Current commercial food regulations pose a challenge, as some requirements would force us to alter our historic structures and traditional practices.
Contact Information
Jacqueline Tait
Smokehouse Coordinator
Email: jacqueline@peopleofthegrizzly.com