Hwlitsum First Nation Oral Histories Hwlitsum—Canoe Pass

Canoe Pass and sockeye harvest Ancestors at what is now Stanley Park  This report presents information about the Hwlitsum First Nation’s traditional use and occupation of the area now known as British Columbia. The Hwlitsum First Nation represents over 300 Hul’qumi’num people on the lower mainland of British Columbia, the Gulf Islands and eastern Vancouver Island.

 This information is not definitive and represents what is known now. I do not represent that it is complete.

Oral History Study

 An oral history project under my direction has been underway with the Hwlitsum people since 2009. Community members have recounted their own experiences hunting, gathering, and fishing, and that of their ancestors.

 Much of this project has been undertaken while traveling with Hwlitsum people through their waterways and fishing, hunting, and gathering.

 The results of this work are presented here.  We gathered visual evidence of cultural, spiritual and harvesting practices and obtained detailed accounts of traditional uses of the environment.  The trip also allowed us to witness the ongoing relationship that Hwlitsum enjoy with the natural environment, both in obtaining a livelihood and in maintaining spiritual, cultural and social cohesion.  Further, the trip enabled researchers to understand the way the territory—waterways, islands, and other features of the land and seascape—was and is understood by the Hwlitsum.  Finally, the trip also enabled us to witness the damage mainstream society’s business, development and management practices have inflicted on Hwlitsum’s society, culture, and fisheries.

Today’s Elders

 Of the senior elders who initially intended to speak to this panel, one is now passed away, another suffers from problems of dementia, one is recovering from surgery and the Hwlitsum do not want the the lone remaining senior elder, now in his 90s, to bear the weight of testimony alone.

 They have asked me to present the information they have shared. Dr. Bruce Granville Miller Professor, Department of Anthropology UBC  The Hwlitsum (like their ancestors the Lamalchi) are members of the Hul'qumi'num Mustimaxw. Prior to contact, the Hul'qumi'num Mustimaxw employed a seasonal cycle that usually saw them winter (December to February) on the Gulf Islands and southern part of Vancouver Island and summer (March to November) on the lower mainland of British Columbia.

Lamalchi Bay

 Prior to 1863, the Lamalchi had a winter village at Lamalchi Bay on what is now known as Kuper Island. The site was ideally situated because it was a safe harboring place and there were abundant resources nearby to harvest. Lamalchi Bay Midden Lamalchi to Hwlitsum  In 1863, the British Navy bombed and then burned the Lamalchi village and colonial authorities subsequently executed 3 of their most prominent warriors. The next year, Governor James Douglas allowed the Lamalchi land to be preempted.  Since the Lamalch had no access to their ancestral village site, they were forced to winter elsewhere.  Around 1892, many of the Lamalchi chose to live year round at Hwlitsum. In accordance with the Hul’qumi’num custom of identifying oneself by the location of your winter village, the people now identify themselves as Hwlitsum.

The Lamalchi Seasonal Cycle

 From before contact to 1849, the Lamalchi employed a seasonal cycle that usually saw them spend four months (November to March) at Lamalchi. After harvesting the late running chum salmon (the last run of anadromous fish each year), the Lamalchi focused on harvesting local resources. The Lamalchi village was ideally situated for harvesting winter springs, oysters, clams, cockles, mussels, crab, cod, rock-cod, halibut, sole, red snapper, prawns, shrimp, cuttlefish (occasionally), sea urchins, kelp, sea weed, octopus, squid, herring, dogfish, and perch from local waters and beaches.

 The Lamalchi also supplemented their winter diet by hunting and trapping deer, elk, black bear, raccoon, mink, seals, otter and grouse. They gathered salal, ferns, cedar bark, alder, maple, and berries for medicines, food processing and food.

Historic Practice

 In April, the Lamalchi’s seasonal cycle took them to their ancestral village at Hwlitsum (Canoe Pass) where they would spend eight months (April to October) harvesting resources on the lower mainland of British Columbia. Hwlitsum was well situated because it was not only located in a prime harvesting location for the runs of anadromous fish, particularly the eulachon and salmon, it was also right in the middle of an important stopover for migratory birds commonly referred to as the Pacific Flyway.

 The Lamalchi also travelled upriver each year to the Coquitlam River and Pitt River, where they harvested plants for medicinal and food purposes, the various runs of salmon and sturgeon, visit relatives and hunt and trap in the watershed areas. The Lamalchi harvested each anadromous fish run as it arrived, beginning with the eualachon, then in order the spring salmon, coho salmon, sockeye salmon, steelhead, pink salmon and ending with the chum salmon. In addition they harvested clams, crab, shrimp, sturgeon, halibut, ling cod, smelt, flounder, trout, and dogfish, The Lamalchi supplemented their diet by hunting or trapping deer, mountain goat, black bear, muskrat, and many other species and gathering many plants.