In the sweep of the eastern shoreline of Vancouver Island from Kelsey Bay in the north and down to the south including Hornby and Denby Island, this is “the land of plenty.” K’όmoks peoples have been the care takers of “the land of plenty” since time immemorial. Local food sources came from the sea and land. The European settlers took the land and resources of the K’όmoks peoples and forced them south. 

In the sweep of the eastern shoreline of Vancouver Island from Kelsey Bay in the north and down to the south including Hornby and Denby Island, this is “the land of plenty.” K’όmoks peoples have been the care takers of “the land of plenty” since time immemorial. Local food sources came from the sea and land. The European settlers took the land and resources of the K’όmoks peoples and forced them south. 

“Mom was the first to find edible seaweed in Royston. I don’t know at which beach she found them, but word got around really fast and soon everybody was out in the salt chuck picking seaweed. They washed and cleaned them and hung them up to dry before using them in soups and other foodstuff.”

As the Japanese Canadian community grew, they become established, buying land in Cumberland, Royston, and Bevan, and building their homes. Some entrepreneurs start businesses such as Iwasa General Store and the Japanese Canadian owned and operated Royston Lumber Company that logged and ran a sawmill. The sawmill had about 100 workers and its own railway which transported logs to the mill. The mill produced about 45,000 board feet of lumber per day. Japanese Canadian families lived in about 22 residences at the site of the mill which also included a Buddhist Temple, Japanese language school, and community hall.

As the Japanese Canadian community grew, they become established, buying land in Cumberland, Royston, and Bevan, and building their homes. Some entrepreneurs start businesses such as Iwasa General Store and the Japanese Canadian owned and operated Royston Lumber Company that logged and ran a sawmill. The sawmill had about 100 workers and its own railway which transported logs to the mill. The mill produced about 45,000 board feet of lumber per day. Japanese Canadian families lived in about 22 residences at the site of the mill which also included a Buddhist Temple, Japanese language school, and community hall.