Coming Home—A Letter from the Publisher

FOLKLIFE has been brewing for many years. It is an idea inspired by the colourful, creative, earthy lives of the people who inhabit the islands on the west coast of Canada on Coast Salish territory.

While completing a Master of Publishing degree six years ago, I was surprised to discover that there was not one periodical focussed on celebrating these inspiring Gulf Islanders. I didn’t understand how this could be, as I’d chosen one of these islands as my home largely because of these creative, idiosyncratic folks.

These islanders each hold a unique story of connection. For the original Coast Salish peoples, these are the lands that have sustained them through generations, and that are woven into their identity. 

For those who have come here to make a home, there is a particular and mysterious allure. Perhaps it’s the tall trees, or the long, dark winters, or the rain that so often shrouds the view. Or maybe it’s the wide open skies with their dazzling stars, the cozy wood stoves, or the vast richness of the Salish Sea.

It could be the welcoming community spirit, or the adventure of creating a new life direction. Whatever has drawn them here, the people of the Gulf Islands include those who have chosen to lean into risky passion projects rather than do the nine-to-five. 

They are people who spend days and nights in gardens, and in studios, bringing dreams to life. They are those who chop wood, plant seedlings, and care for loved ones through their own aches and challenges. They are the ones who devote themselves to protecting living things, the ocean, and the lands that nurture them, while facing housing affordability challenges in their own lives. They are those who don toques and rubber boots, who grow their hair long, and who live with dirt under their fingernails.

As I developed the vision and business plan for FOLKLIFE last year, I was not home. I was traversing continents, observing others’ homes, and overcoming my own feelings of isolation and loneliness developed as a single ‘young’ person living on an island. Feeling healed and ready, I returned to a place that welcomed both me and this new risky venture, FOLKLIFE. 

The vision was embraced by the team we lovingly call ‘FOLKLIFERS,’ who live, love, swim, build, work, grow, create, play, and eat the FOLKLIFE lifestyle across the islands of the Salish Sea - delicious. These receptive, supportive, and lovely people have been working tirelessly to realize this vision. We are excited to share FOLKLIFE with you.

So here’s to you, here’s to community, here’s to creation.
Here’s to coming together through imagination, hardship, and risk.

Here’s to homes that nurture our souls.

Cheers!

Alina Cerminara
Founder & Publisher, FOLKLIFE

📖 This article first appeared in The Home Volume of FOLKLIFE Magazine.