You’re on island time now.
Indie Canadian publishing. Rooted in story and place. Powered by you.
Jasmyn Clift of Wild Seed School. Photo by Syd Woodward.
SLOW THE FOLK DOWN
FOLKLIFE is dedicated to celebrating slow living, creativity, and connection.
Created on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, we capture whatever the folk our community creates—food, art, music, adventure, meaningful stories, and lives lived close to the earth and back to the land.
A window seat to the slow life, no matter where you are.
Start a subscription or explore by volume.
Published twice a year.
We've been building something for you.
A magazine for those who know that what we build, in the end, is what builds us.
Tara Martin in her home that was built to be an extension of her values. Photo by Stasia Garraway.
FIND US IN STORE
“The publication is amazing and very inspiring. FOLKLIFE has already made an impact on the islands, and in quite a positive way.”
“Privileged to have come across FOLKLIFE magazine while shooting in Vancouver. The first volume sent me to Galiano Island where I stayed for a week, hiked every day, had dinner at Pilgrimme Restaurant, and even ordered dinner plates from Ilana Fonariov.”
“Gobsmacked. FOLKLIFE just arrived. Holy smokes, is it ever gorgeous! Wow! Wow! Congratulations!”
Meet our founder & publisher, Alina Cerminara.
“I grew up spending slow summers on Gabriola Island, and moved there when I was 18. Since then, I have earned a master’s degree in publishing, travelled the world (shoutout #vanlife), and become a mother.
FOLKLIFE brings these threads together. The people we meet and the stories we tell endlessly inspire me.”
–Alina Cerminara
Photo by Stasia Garraway.
immersive stories
Dive into the heart.
Into joy, love, aging, creativity, grief, money, and the human experience in all its contradictions. Without gloss, and without gloom.
Discover interviews, essays, reflections, and rituals shaped by people who live slowly, with intention.
Warp and Weft
On travel, Buddhism, berry bushes, and the quiet work of becoming.
Shifting
On aging, technology, and the manual transmission
Dating a Swamp Witch
Life, love, and survival on forty flooded acres
Petals with Purpose
A flower farmer reflects on how one wedding bouquet revealed the deep emotional power of locally grown blooms. From that moment, she explores the slow flower movement and the importance...
Postbox for the Dead
In a home filled with memory, letters to the departed are gathered and returned to flame—an annual act of letting go, remembrance, and transformation.
CommunityFOLK | Your hub for west coast slow living.
Hornby Island Bakery & Pizzeria
On any given afternoon on Hornby Island, the inviting pizza aroma drifts from the Hornby Island Bakery & Pizzeria, mingling with the sound of laughter and the low hum of...
Resthouse: Experience the ripple effect of restorative rest
Canada’s Home for all-natural, restorative rest. Custom mattresses, luxurious toppers, adjustable pillows, breathable bedding, bath & lounge, sleep consultations, expert advice, local delivery and set-up, and free Canadian shipping. When...
Southern Gulf Islands, BC
Rising from the cool, clear water of the North Pacific, just off the mainland of British Columbia, Canada, you’ll find a handful of serene, verdant, rolling crowns we call the...
FOLKLIFE Blog | News, behind-the-scenes, & more.
The Builder Volume Cover Reveal
It took some time to get to this cover, done by Stasia Garraway, but it means a lot to us over here.
Call for Hunger Submissions
We tell people's stories— authentic, vulnerable, gritty. If 'Hunger' inspires you to write or tell your story, reach out. We want stories, recipes, tales, tips, illustrations, photos . . ....
Happy birthday to FOLKLIFE photographer, Hope Fulton!
The best is when a big time FOLKLIFE fan comes out of the woodwork and becomes a part of the team.
The Death Volume Cover Reveal
Photographed by John Kelsey, the just-announced FOLKLIFE Death Volume cover is inspired by the content that illuminates how we are one with the cosmos.
Introducing CommunityFOLK — A New Way to Discover and Be Discovered
We’re excited to introduce CommunityFOLK—a new digital FOLKLIFE space that highlights the kinds of businesses we want to see thrive: small, independent, values-aligned, and rooted in community.
Your New Home for Slow West Coast Living
There’s a new way to step into the FOLKLIFE world—and it’s right at your fingertips.
