Tag Archives: Tla’amin First Nation

History, Indigenous Nations History

Gumbooting Through The History Of Mansons Lagoon

Once or twice a year, visitors are given an opportunity to ‘gumboot’ into the natural and human history of Mansons Lagoon. This is a joint event put on by the Cortes Island Museum and Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI). Jane Newman provides the glimpse into the lagoon’s past. In the following article, Cortes Currents supplemented her account with materials from the Museum and additional genealogical records found on the web. 

Jane’s account started with a description of Mansons Spit during the precolonial era. 

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Indigenous Nations, Justice

Nation gathers to celebrate historic court victory

Editor’s note: In April the BC Supreme Court recognised the Nuchatlaht First Nation claim to part of Nootka Island. The parcel in question consists of about 5% of their traditional territory, which is now under Nuchatlaht control. Nootka Island is 140 km from Cortes Island, as the crow flies, but there are many unresolved aboriginal rights and title issues in our immediate area. Stories about how these issues are being dealt with, and hopefully resolved, are of great local interest.

One of the evidences of Nuchatlaht agricultural practises cited in the article that follows is culturally-modified trees. In a previous interview, Dr Chelsea Armstrong told Cortes Currents that while she has not heard any reports of them in the traditional territories of the Homalco, Klahoose and Tla’amin people, “really it’s a researcher bias. It’s only where I’ve worked and where my colleagues have worked.”

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After its recent historic legal victory—winning the first-ever trial award of Aboriginal title in the British Columbia Supreme Court—Nuchatlaht First Nation celebrated with a community gathering and feast.

The nation invited community members, supporters and friends for speeches, prayer and a shared meal in Campbell River June 1.

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Food, Rivers & Oceans

Seafest – Coming to Squirrel Cove Saturday, May 18

Seafest will be returning to Squirrel Cove this Saturday, May 18, with delicious platefuls of locally grown and prepared seafood. with live music.  

“ I think the first one was back in 1990 or 92. It was down in Smelt Bay with Redonda Sea Farms  and the rest of the community and it was a huge event. I think they had walk-on overloads on the ferry. That was really when the Seafood Association was formed.  Its primary mandate being water quality and it was formed in response to new technology that could assess dioxin pollution from the pulp mills,” explained Dave Nikleva.

Julia Rendall added, “I think in the  late eighties, it was to fight the pulp mills.  ‘Water quality’ was our mandate. Then there was a time when some people were a little bit reluctant about  us oyster farmers. They thought maybe we were getting in the way of their pristine scenery. We decided to  show them that we did have a good product for everybody to enjoy and that it is a viable industry on the island and it is necessary.”

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Indigenous Nations, Politics

Legislative amendments would allow First Nations to own land

Editor’s Note: When British Columbia seized control of the traditional territories of the Homalco, Klahoose, Tla’amin, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and most of the other First Nations in the province, they were pushed onto tiny parcels whose title was held by the Crown (reserves). According to the Pulling Together: Foundations Guide (2018):

  • “First Nations people were not consulted when reserves were created. They did not give consent.
  • They were not compensated for the lands that were taken from them.
  • Since their creation, reserves have been moved and reduced and their resources have been taken – all without compensation for First Nations.
  • Until as recently as 1958, people living on reserve needed written permission from the Indian Agent in order to leave the reserve for any reason.”

A report prepared for the BC Assembly of First Nations in 2023 states 35% of BC’s Indigenous population currently live on reserves.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Victoria, BC – In early April the provincial government introduced legislative amendments to the B.C. Land Title and Property Law Act, that, if passed, will remove barriers for First Nation bands to acquire, hold and register land.

“Many people in Canada do not know that First Nations could not own land in the province of British Columbia,” said Hugh Braker of the First Nations Summit. “Many people don’t know that in British Columbia, other provinces and in the federal system there are still laws that discriminate against Indigenous people that are founded in racism.”

This year marks 150 years since the establishment of the B.C. Land Act which “explicitly forbid First Nation individuals from having interests in land,” said Murray Rankin, minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.

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Indigenous Nations History

Tla’amin Nation set to reclaim village of tiskʷat 151 years after it was taken: ‘It’s like a long lost relative’

Indiginews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For the Tla’amin Nation, the loss of their village site tiskʷat has been like “a missing limb” for the community, according to Dillon Johnson.

Their home and salmon fishing site was stolen and sold by “British Columbia” 151 years ago at a time when the community’s population was decimated by disease.

For the next seven generations, Tla’amin people were separated from tiskʷat. People were moved onto reserves, salmon runs were all but wiped out by construction of a new dam, and a paper mill began operating on the site.

Continue reading Tla’amin Nation set to reclaim village of tiskʷat 151 years after it was taken: ‘It’s like a long lost relative’ →