A groundbreaking study has revealed that Indigenous peoples in what is now British Columbia were cultivating hazelnuts over 7,000 years ago, challenging the long-held belief that the region’s pre-colonial landscapes were entirely wild and untouched.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the research found that Gitxsan, Tsimshian, and Nisga’a communities intentionally transplanted and cultivated the beaked hazelnut in the Skeena region of northern B.C. The findings provide compelling evidence that Indigenous stewardship shaped ecosystems and counter the stereotype of early Indigenous populations as purely hunter-gatherers.
Hazelnuts as a Marker of Ecosystem Management
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong, the study’s co-author and an assistant professor of Indigenous studies at Simon Fraser University, emphasized the significance of these findings in understanding Indigenous contributions to environmental management.
“Our research is challenging the narrative that hazelnuts were simply wild. These findings highlight the active role Indigenous peoples played in shaping plant species distribution and sustaining ecological balance,” said Armstrong.
By sequencing the DNA of over 200 hazelnuts, researchers identified five genetic subgroups that could not have been distributed naturally by birds or squirrels. Instead, the patterns point to deliberate cultivation and trade by Indigenous peoples.
Trade and Cultural Connections
Linguistic evidence from the study adds another layer of depth, showing that the word for “hazelnut” in Gitxsan and Nisga’a languages was borrowed from Coast Salish territories in the south. This suggests a robust trade network that extended across vast distances.
Jacob Beaton, a Tsimshian man and executive director of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Association, celebrated the findings, noting their alignment with oral histories of Temlaxam — an ancient city near the confluence of the Skeena and Bulkley rivers.
“This study supports our oral histories, showing how modern science validates the stories of Sm’algyax-speaking peoples,” said Beaton.
Implications for Land Stewardship
The study also raises larger questions about the Skeena River as an epicenter of ancient civilizations. Armstrong suggests that areas now seen as empty wilderness were once thriving with “mega-cities” along every tributary of the river.
This research has significant implications for First Nations pursuing land claims, particularly in light of a 2014 Supreme Court of Canada ruling requiring proof of a continuous connection to ancestral lands.
“What this study shows is that intentional, agricultural-style food production has been a part of our heritage for longer than even ancient Egypt,” Beaton said.
The findings serve as a powerful testament to the rich history of Indigenous land stewardship and underscore the need to recognize and honor their enduring relationship with the land.
