Camilla is a lifelong storyteller passionate about unearthing community stories and helping others find their voice. She has 13+ years of professional experience in both digital and print publishing and writing. Originally from the countryside of Cambridgeshire, UK, she now calls Campbell River home, a place where she is constantly drawn to the trails, wild foods, and bodies of water. Strathcona Collective is a welcome opportunity to showcase the people, environment, and rich heritage of our region.
Dreams, people, and places that are energizing the region In the same way that many of us savour the slow shift into spring and those hazy days of summer, the […]
As a child, curiosity drew me to all kinds of unexpected discoveries. My sister and I marvelled at the textures of slime, feather, shell, and plant. Wonder seeped into just […]
An invitation to a deeper knowledge. I have been completely lost by accident a handful of times: in a new city where I don’t speak the language or the few […]
Sparking memories of Strathcona About ten minutes south of Campbell River, an eye-catching wood building sits among golden fields of barley, tall trees, and the coastline adjacent to the Oyster […]
The community benefits of living in true alignment What a soul is, or whether souls even exist, has consumed the curiosity of many writers, philosophers, and individuals throughout history. When […]
BEYOND THE PLATE AT HA’ME‘’S (RE)OPENING The eagerly anticipated (re)opening of Ha̱’me‘ Restaurant, in its new space at Kwa’lilas Hotel in Port Hardy, takes place this spring. The hotel is […]
Words by Camilla SampsonPhotos courtesy of Ha̱'me'
As the editor of the Strathcona Collective, it is my privilege to help writers and community members throughout our region communicate what matters most to them. For this issue, we […]
Ancient DNA (aDNA). The term immediately brings to mind visions of dinosaurs, ancient civilizations, megafauna, and other extinct mammals and plants. The ability to dig (literally) into these times is […]
Words by Camilla SampsonPhotos courtesy of The Hakai Institute
Nature, specifically the ocean, has long been the undercurrent of photographer and sailor John Kelsey’s life. It’s the balm that has kept him balanced; the place he feels most at […]
Words by Camilla SampsonPhotos courtesy of John Kelsey
At its root, tradition is the sharing of stories. Perhaps our oldest tradition is exactly that: storytelling. Deeply woven into the intricacies of our lives, stories connect us from one […]
Articles in this issue (my first as editor) feel like a love letter to our region. A testament to the vast melting pot of wildlife and passionate people. The latter […]
GALLERY PHOTOS BY REGAN HATLEY, DARREN HULL, BEN POWELESS, CHASE TERON, & DESTINATION CANADA You’re greeted at a dock between the ocean and wide open sky. A traditional toq qaymıxw […]
The gritty exfoliation of sand between toes, the softness of dewy grass underfoot, the wet flecks of mud that spatter my partner’s feet while running the trails in open sandals: […]
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