Connecting with Indigenous Cultures

ƛoʔos (Klahoose) First Nation

The ƛoʔos (Klahoose) First Nation is a part of the Coast Salish cultural group, and a sister nation to the ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin), χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco), and K’omoks First Nations, who have traditionally shared a similar culture and spoke the same language. However, the ƛoʔos (Klahoose), ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin) and χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) First Nations speak the mainland dialect, ʔayʔaǰuθəm, and the K’omoks First Nation traditionally spoke the Island Dialect, ʔayʔaǰusəm. The word “ƛoʔos” means “sculpin fish” in ʔayʔaǰuθəm.

The traditional territory of the ƛoʔos (Klahoose) people expands from Cortes Island to yɛkʷamɛn, (Toba Inlet), and the main village being is located at t̓oq̓ (Squirrel Cove). The traditional ƛoʔos (Klahoose) territory is all unceded land.

The canoe was and is a very important part of their culture, historically being an important part of everyday life, as travel throughout the territory by water was very important, and therefore the canoe was essential, and today is an important cultural symbol and art form.

χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) First Nation

The χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) First Nation is a part of the Coast Salish cultural group, and a sister nation to the ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin), ƛoʔos (Klahoose), and K’omoks First Nations, who have traditionally shared a similar culture and spoke the same language. However, the ƛoʔos (Klahoose), ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin) and χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) First Nations speak the mainland dialect, ʔayʔaǰuθəm, and the K’omoks First Nation traditionally spoke the Island Dialect, ʔayʔaǰusəm. The word “χʷɛmaɬkʷu” means “people of the fast-running waters” in ʔayʔaǰuθəm. This word refers to the landscapes found throughout the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) territory, such as rapids and fast-running rivers.

The χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) territory extends from Hornby Island, across to Vancouver Island from Comox to Sayward, as well as to Call Inlet, across to the Discover Islands, from East Redonda Island, reaching up to Brem River from Toba Inlet, and reaching to Tatlayoko Lake from Bute Inlet. The main reserve today is located in Campbell River, which is within the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) traditional territory. None of the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) territory was ever ceded, making it unceded land.

The χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) First Nation today are descendants of those who survived the Great Flood, which is an important event in their history, and the history of the West Coast of Turtle Island. The χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) people who lived through this time survived by tying their canoes to the top of Paʔɬmɩn̓ (Estero Peak) with cedar rope, which ensured that the canoes didn’t float away as the water levels rose. Paʔɬmɩn̓ in ʔayʔaǰuθəm means “place that grows”.

Before colonization, the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) people lived throughout their traditional territory in several villages. During the winter the people lived in permanent villages, though during the other seasons they travelled throughout the territory, following the food sources available during different times of the year, living at many temporary camps. The winter villages were located on Sonora Island at the Aaron rapids and Mushkin Village, as well as at the mouth of Bute Inlet, at ʔop̓ (Church House).

Today, the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (Homalco) live in Campbell River alongside several other nations, who are all Ligʷiłdaxʷ. The Ligʷiłdaxʷ peoples traditional territory, was historically further up Island, and only relatively recently have moved down to Campbell River and southward to Comox. This push downwards displaced Coastal Salish peoples further southward, such as the K’omoks and Pentl’ach peoples, and introduced the Kwak’wala language, which today has replaced ʔayʔaǰusəm as the language spoken by the K’omoks peoples.