On this page, scroll down to view
(we have payment plans & sponsored spots):

​Scheduled workshops
  1. 2-day, in-person drum-making workshops May 30-31, 2026
    (See below)
  2. Deer processing, butchery skills, cooking, and sharing a community meal. (Pender Island – May 23, 2026).

A La Carte Workshops
  1. Group team-building drum-making workshops
  2. Hunting & Processing
  3. Hide Tanning
  4. School Programs
  5. Speaking Engagements (Hunting, food security, land stewardship etc.)​

drum workshops
In-person, groups of up to 10 adults or teens (2-days) 
​Master drum-maker, David Fierro leads this transformative 2-day workshop on crafting traditional elk-hide drums, with Susheela helping out and providing placed-based nourishment. This hands-on experience is available to groups, organizations, and individuals and is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants.

NEXT DATE: May 30-31 Mayne Island
Ask us about purchasing spots as gifts or gift certificates. [Email Here]

WE HAVE SPOTS FOR 2 INDIGENOUS PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE THIS WORKSOP FOR FREE.
EMAIL US TO ENQUIRE

Workshop Details:
  • Duration: 2 days (9:30 am - 3:30 pm)
  • Group Size: Up to 10 participants (adults and teens)
  • Cost: $375 per person (includes materials, instruction, meals, beverages.)
Learn traditional drum-making techniques, including:
  • Working with elk hides and cedar frames
  • Waxing and conditioning with bear grease
  • Drum and tom-tom/beater construction
  • Long-term drum care
  • Cultural and spiritual significance of drums
We will share knowledge of traditional hunting, hide tanning, and ecological practices. This workshop offers a deeper connection to the art and its cultural roots.

Additional Costs & Travel:
Travel and accommodation fees apply for locations outside the Southern Gulf Islands.

Booking & Inquiries:
This workshop can be scheduled for your group or organization. We can assist with planning if you’re seeking funding through a grant.

May 30-31 Elk hide on cedar, drum-making workshop on Mayne Island

CA$375.00

A 2-day all-inclusive workshop for up to 10 students. 

May 30-31, 2025



$375 for 2 days covers all materials & instruction. 

314 Mariners Way, Mayne Island, or alternate location on Mayne Island.



David will lead the workshop, where participants will learn the traditional art of drum-making. He has prepared thick red cedar drum rounds in advance, along with elk hides and bear grease for conditioning. The workshop will cover traditional techniques, including working with elk hides and string, waxing the frames, constructing the tom-tom, long-term drum care, and learning about traditional protocols and practices.



Street parking. Meals and beverages provided. 

Let us know if you require other payment options: e-transfer or Klarna.

Email Susheela:

[email protected]
Register Now
in-person, team building drum-making (4 hours) 
​Create a 24” Cedar Drum TogetherGather your team for a unique and meaningful experience with our 24” Drum-Making Workshop. This collaborative session offers a hands-on opportunity to create a powerful traditional drum while strengthening teamwork and connection.
Workshop Details:
  • Duration: 4 hours 
  • Group Size: 8-10 participants
  • Cost: $600 (includes all materials and instruction)
What You’ll Do:
  • As a group, assist David in constructing ONE 24” red cedar drum.
  • Each participant will craft their own tom-tom (beater), which will be used to play the drum.
  • String the drum: Participants will take turns helping to string the drum with pre-cut pieces of elk hide that David has prepared.
  • David will assemble the drum during the session, sharing stories and cultural insights along the way.
  • Materials provided: A thick cedar frame, elk hide, dowels, buckskin, glue, and all necessary tools.
After the workshop, David will take the drum home to complete the final steps: conditioning it with bear grease, tuning, and ensuring it’s ready for use. The completed drum will be returned to your group within a week or two.
Optional Custom Design:
Want to make it even more special? Order a custom painted design to the drum as a commemoration of the event, or include your group’s logo or another meaningful symbol. This custom artwork is available for an additional fee. Susheela can assist you with this option.
Why Choose This Workshop:
This experience is perfect for teams seeking a creative and collaborative activity that strengthens cultural bonds and promotes positive energy. The finished drum serves as a lasting symbol of your group's connection and shared experience.
​
Additional Costs & Travel:
Travel and accommodation fees might apply for locations outside the Southern Gulf Islands.
Booking & Inquiries:
This workshop can be scheduled for your group or organization. We can assist with planning if you’re seeking funding through a grant.
To inquire about dates and details, click here to contact us.

 cooking & preserving
BOOKING LINK AT BOTTOM 
Fallow Deer Processing / Butchering & Cooking Dinner Series
MAY 23 on Pender Island — Session 7

This 5-hour, hands-on workshop offers a practical introduction to whole-animal processing, cooking, and preservation using ethically harvested fallow deer.

Grounded in real land-based practice, the session moves from carcass to plate—working through quarters, organs, and primary cuts while demonstrating how each part can be used with purpose. Participants will gain familiarity with how an animal is broken down, where different cuts come from, and how to translate these skills beyond venison into broader food contexts.

The workshop also situates deer within a larger system—touching on ecological management, food access, and the role of small-scale processing in local food systems.

Format (5 Hours)
  • Opening circle and overview
  • Hands-on processing and butchery (quarters, organs, primary cuts)
  • Cooking demonstrations and preservation techniques
  • Shared meal featuring multiple venison dishes
  • Q&A, recipes, and take-home insights
We will be outdoors for the entire workshop—processing, cooking, and eating together around a fire. Please dress for the weather.

This is not a certification or training to independently process animals, but an opportunity to build understanding, confidence, and practical literacy.

What we’ll cook:
  • Tacos de venado de mayo — soft tacos, jarred BBQ venison with roots and lime slaw
  • Rosemary mesquite jerky — everybody’s favourite, our signature jerky recipe
  • Savoury summer sliders — juicy snack-size burgers with an eastern flare
  • Steak & potatoes — so tender you don’t even need a knife, seared and crispy on the outside, medium rare on the inside. 
Date: May 23
Time: 1:00–6:00 pm
Location: [EXACT ADDRESS TBD] Pender Island
Participants: Limited to 12
Pricing: $85 – $150 (sliding scale; higher tiers support community access and include extras)

David Fierro & Susheela Kundargi 
 
Fallow Deer Processing/Butchering & Cooking Dinner Series

Format:
  • 5-hour workshop including best practices, Q&A, mingling, and eating.
  • Brief sacred fire or circle to start & close each session
  • Processing quarters, organs, and various cuts for different purposes, multiple easy but delicious ways to cook venison • recipes from our upcoming Fallow deer cookbook
  • Other end uses for all parts of the deer, beyond what's edible.
  • Participant Limit: 12
Workshop Flow (Each Session)
  • 1:00–1:30 — Opening circle, introductions, overview
  • 1:30–5:15 — Hands-on processing and butchering, cooking demos, tasting, preservation techniques, and communal meal
  • 5:15–6:00 (often runs longer) — final dinner, mingling, wrap-up, recipes, more Q & A, and handouts

​This format allows participants to experience multiple dishes/courses per evening, while teaching practical knife skills, butchery that is translated beyond venison and wild game, preservation techniques, and cultural context — and a tantalizing precursor to our cookbook!
​

Pender Island Deer Processing

CA$85.00 - CA$150.00

This 5-hour, hands-on workshop offers a practical introduction to whole-animal processing, cooking, and preservation using ethically harvested fallow deer.

Grounded in real land-based practice, the session moves from carcass to plate—working through quarters, organs, and primary cuts while demonstrating how each part can be used with purpose. Participants will gain familiarity with how an animal is broken down, where different cuts come from, and how to translate these skills beyond venison into broader food contexts.

The workshop also situates deer within a larger system—touching on ecological management, food access, and the role of small-scale processing in local food systems.

Format (5 Hours)

  • Opening circle and overview
  • Hands-on processing and butchery (quarters, organs, primary cuts)
  • Cooking demonstrations and preservation techniques
  • Shared meal featuring multiple venison dishes
  • Q&A, recipes, and take-home insights

This is not a certification or training to independently process animals, but an opportunity to build understanding, confidence, and practical literacy.

What we’ll cook:

  • Tacos de venado de mayo — jarred BBQ venison with lime slaw
  • Rosemary mesquite jerky — everybody’s favourite
  • Savoury summer sliders — juicy snack-size burgers with an eastern flare
  • Steak & potatoes — so tender you don’t even need a knife, seared and crispy on the outside, medium rare on the inside. 

Details:

Date: May 23

Time: 1:00–6:00 pm

Location: Pender Island

Participants: Limited to 12

Pricing: $85 – $150 (sliding scale; higher tiers support community access and include extras)

Hosted by

David Fierro & Susheela Kundargi of The Healing Place Foundation • Tsi-Tesakotitsén:tha • Mayne Island (S,ḴŦAḴ) https://www.landbasedhealing.com/workshops.html

Land-based workshops focused on food systems, stewardship, and practical skill-building.
Register
COMPLETED Winter 2026 Dinner Series (3 Sessions)

COMPLETED Session 6 — Sunday, March 29, (from 1pm – 6pm +)
Theme: Quick Cuts & Classic Comfort
A spring-leaning session focused on faster cooking methods and familiar comfort dishes, designed to build confidence with steak cuts and pan-based techniques. From brothy bowls to crisp cutlets, this workshop emphasizes timing, texture, and the pleasure of sitting down together to a well-earned meal.

​Dishes / Courses:
  • Ramen Rewilded — seared venison slices in rich broth with egg and mushrooms
  • Fermented Fallow — venison cabbage rolls using sour-headed cabbage
  • Schnit Happens — classic-style breaded venison cutlet
  • Cordon Bleu Ridge — venison scallopini rolled with ham and Alpine-style cheese, pan-fried

COMPLETED Session 5 — Sunday, March 1, (from 1pm–6 pm+)
Theme: From Broth to Bold Flavour
This session moves from simple, restorative nourishment into rich, expressive dishes that showcase the full spectrum of venison cooking. Participants will work with bone broth, jarred meat, and organ cuts, exploring how depth of flavour, cultural techniques, and confidence in the kitchen transform everyday ingredients into memorable meals.

Dishes / Courses:
  • The Healing Cup — venison bone broth with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and early season veg
  • Island Nachos — spicy jarred deer with melty cheese and herbs
  • Pâté Sauvage — silky venison liver pâté with butter, cognac, and herbs on sourdough crostini, served with pickled onions and membrillo
  • Gone Plaintain — African-Indian–style venison curry with plantain and cassava

COMPLETED -Session 4 – Sunday, February 1, (from 2-6+ pm)
Theme: Winter Comfort & Shared Tables
A hands-on exploration of cold-season cooking with fallow deer, focused on hearty dishes, slow sauces, and crowd-pleasing meals that bring people together. This session highlights how versatile venison can be—from deeply nourishing broths to celebratory, oven-baked favourites—while working with both tender cuts and long-simmered preparations.

Dishes / Courses:
  • Big Pot Chilli Weather — three-bean venison chilli with cinnamon, thyme, and beer
  • Gnocchi Days — creamy mushroom-venison sauce served with pillowy gnocchi
  • Valentine’s Venison — ravioli stuffed with venison in a light rosé sauce
  • Pho the People — fallow steak pho with fresh herbs and lime
  • Deerly Beloved Pizza — cambozola, caramelized onions, olives, and slow-simmered venison on homemade dough​

school programs
"Rhythms of Connection:Drumming for Truth and Reconciliation"
details coming soon...

hunting & processing
details coming soon...

presentations & talks
details coming soon...