Whales, bear bangers and freedom dips: Pachena Bay Music Festival opens synergies between humans and nature

By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Anacla, B.C. – There’s a lull on Saturday morning and Ben Howells finds himself with time to be loquacious. Pachena Bay Music co-founders Ben Howells and Katreena Bennett were married on Brady’s Beach near Bamfield, planting the strongest seed for the special festival. He’s relaxed after the game of “human Tetris” his crew played to negotiate over 700 festivalgoers plus roughly 150 volunteers into Huu-ay-aht’s Pachena Bay Campground was completed early Friday evening. Moreover, he shared that whales swam into the bay on Thursday afternoon during his own DJ performance, which stirred a feeling of significance. “If going to the abandoned warehouses in Chicago or the shipyards in New York is synonymous with early rave culture, part of our culture is bringing…

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