Sprinkled along the tidal zones of northern Vancouver Island’s inlets and bays are the remnants of ancient stone structures – some barely visible beneath layers of kelp, barnacles, and shifting tides. These structures are known as clam gardens, or loxiwe, a word that means “a place of rolling rocks together” in Kwak̓wala.
The name refers to the practice of carefully constructing stone walls to support a traditional form of mariculture, the cultivation, management, and harvesting of marine life in their natural environment. With roots dating back at least 4,000 years, this Indigenous technology resulted in enhance clam habitat, increase food security and community connections.
Though the practice was widespread along the Pacific Northwest Coast, from Washington State to southeast Alaska, the greatest concentration and most extensively studied loxiwe are found around northern Vancouver Island, with some of the oldest examples found on Quadra Island.
Loxiwe are formed by lifting or rolling rocks to the lowest intertidal line, creating a low stone wall that runs parallel to the beach. Over time, sediment, broken shell, and sand build up behind the wall, creating a level terrace. This flattened zone provides ideal conditions for clam growth, extending the natural habitat where clams can thrive.
While primarily designed to support butter clams and littleneck clams, these modified environments also attract a variety of other intertidal species, such as cockles, sea urchins, and crabs. In many ways, loxiwe functioned as marine food gardens – highly productive, carefully tended ecosystems that sustained coastal communities for generations.
Loxiwe were built in a variety of coastal environments. Some were constructed on naturally productive beaches, while others were created on bedrock shelves or steep, eroding boulder slopes where clams would not typically thrive. In areas such as northern Quadra Island, the practice was so widespread that virtually every suitable shoreline was transformed into a garden.
Archaeological evidence shows that loxiwe in this region were actively used at least between 3,170 and 1,670 years ago. During this time, tectonic activity gradually caused sea levels to fall causing earlier-built gardens to be pushed too high in the intertidal zone to remain productive. Rather than abandoning them, communities rebuilt and modified these walls lower on the beach to maintain productivity.
As coastal populations increased, so did the number of loxiwe. When sea levels gradually stabilized between 1,000 and 300 years ago, the number of new gardens decreased, and older ones were tended to for generations.
Loxiwe were not just places of harvesting, but places of stewardship. Access to specific beds was most often managed by families, and maintenance was a shared responsibility passed down through generations.
Tending a loxiwe – a practice sometimes referred to as “turning the garden” – involved removing rocks deposited by tides, thinning crowded areas, clearing predators, and loosening sand to improve clam movement and growth. These tasks were often carried out communally and served as opportunities for families to come together, share stories, and pass on traditional knowledge.
Teachings about clams – when to harvest, how much to take, and how to care for the ecosystem – were woven into songs, dances, and stories shared from Elders to youth. These moments were more than work – they were cultural exchanges that reinforced cultural practices, community bonds, and environmental practices.
Colonization had a profound impact on the use and maintenance of loxiwe. Disease introduced by settlers, followed by the forced relocation of Indigenous Peoples onto reserves, led to significant population declines and disrupted traditional land and marine use. At the same time, industrial activities—particularly logging and shoreline development – altered beach ecosystems and contaminated once-productive marine ecosystems.
Although many loxiwe were no longer actively used, their stone walls remained. In some areas, their outlines are still visible at low tide.
In recent years, Indigenous-led efforts to restore loxiwe have gained momentum on Vancouver Island. Collaborations between First Nations, researchers, and conservation groups have led to projects aimed at restoring ecological function and reclaiming traditional knowledge.
A 2024 restoration project on northern Quadra Island brought together the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, and K’ómoks First Nations, in partnership with the Nanwakolas Council. The work focused on rebuilding stone walls, turning sand to improve habitat conditions, and reintroducing the cultural practice of loxiwe maintenance.
Guided by Elders, younger community members participated hands-on, learning traditional techniques and the ecological knowledge embedded within them. These intergenerational connections not only support ecological restoration but also strengthen cultural resilience and food sovereignty.
These efforts are part of broader movements across BC and Canada to support Indigenous-led environmental governance, food security, and cultural revitalization.
In the intertidal zones of northern Vancouver Island, the rock walls of loxiwe are once again being shaped and tended. They stand as evidence of a highly developed mariculture system that has supported coastal communities for millennia – and may yet do so again.
