This song, Salish Sea, was inspired by where I grew up, what is fondly known as The Island, specifically the Saanich Peninsula. My family and I immigrated from England in the seventies and since the age of six I have wandered the beaches, hiked the mountains and swam in the waters that surround us. This is a most incredible place and it feels like home.
Later in life I came to realise a most difficult truth, that I am a settler here. This is the land of the Coast Salish peoples. My European ancestors colonialised this place. That is how I have come to call this place home.
What do I do now knowing that my presence, and that of my own family, has come at the expense of those who were here before us, those who are here today? Can this be reconciled?
In writing this song I attempted to paint a picture of a place that holds great physical beauty and significant social conflict. Recognising our true history is one step toward reconciliation. I have come to believe that more answers may be found in nature, perhaps in the surrounding waters of the Salish Sea.