Clams as Food

As the huge shell archaeological sites in Tla’amin territory attest, clams have always been an important part of the Tla’amin diet. According to local knowledge, clams were harvested especially during the winter when there was no danger of eating shellfish contaminated by red tides (also known as paralytic shellfish poisoning). Elsewhere on the coast, archaeologists have counted and measure the growth rings of shellfish, and have found that clams were also sometimes harvested in the summer months. Our team will be conducting similar studies in Tla’amin territory in the future.

Clams are a great source of protein and can be eaten steamed, barbecued, or dried for later consumption. In Tla’amin territory, common types of clams are butter clams, horse clams, and pacific littleneck clams.