The public debate over the site at Ye’yumnuts has involved people from all over the Cowichan Valley and beyond. Since the initial uncovering of the site in 1992, many people, including Cowichan Tribes, Timbercrest developers, archaeologists, North Cowichan municipal council, the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society, and local residents have all experienced this place differently and told different stories about it.
For some, the stories centre on a connection to the land and the past that continues to this day; for some it is home; for some it is a site of scientific inquiry; for others it provides an opportunity to make a living; and for yet others it is a site where nature flourishes and should be preserved for the appreciation of the residents of the Cowichan Valley.
All of these stories emerge from the area identified variously as Ye’yumnuts, the Kingston Farm, the Somenos Creek Site, DeRw-18, or Timbercrest Estates.
In order to bring these many voices together and to help break down the barriers that keep them apart, this project has involved conducting interviews with a number of community members involved with Ye'yumnuts through the years. Naturalists, archaeologists, Cowichan Tribes members, and landowners have all been asked to share their perspectives and their histories with the site. Weaving these voices together and sharing their stories with students in School District 79 and the broader Cowichan Valley can help lead to mutual understanding within the community and can provide a basis for everyone involved to reflect on how to address conflicts like these in the future.