Yuquot: tluh-palth-sumlh – Looking Ahead

Most outsiders, for over 200 years, have considered Yuquot a subject for history books. But for Mowachaht/Muchalaht people, through many challenges, it represents the centre of the world

A series of epidemics brought to our territories by ships, or across trails from mamatni settlements on Vancouver Island, devastated our communities during the 1800s. We lost 90% of our people. Many houses and villages in Nootka Sound were emptied. Much of our history was lost and some seats of the ha’wiih became vacant. Once enemies, peace was established between the Mowachaht and Muchalaht, and Yuquot was the main village for both nations. Today we are the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation.

In the mid-1800s, British Columbia and Canada claimed jurisdiction over our territories. We never agreed to this. Our hahoothlee and their resources remain unceded to this day. In the 1890s, a legislative process began that stripped us of all but a miniscule portion of our lands. A Reserve Commissioner came and assigned us 17 small “Indian Reserves.” Fisheries officers, Indian agents, government officials and missionaries came to our territories and told us we had to obey their laws. Many of our children were taken from our communities and sent to Residential Schools, where they were forbidden to speak their language and suffered many abuses. Our people were forced to find employment with the newcomers, in what had been our own rich hahoothlee. Most of us came to rely on commercial fisheries, canneries and forestry for our livelihood, but these, too, have declined. We have survived difficult times, but look forward to future successes.

In 1967, most Mowachaht/Muchalaht people were obliged by the Government of Canada to move from Yuquot to Ahaminaquus at the head of Muchalaht Arm. There was the promise of jobs at a new pulp mill. But pollution from the mill caused health problems at Ahaminaquus and we moved in 1996 to a new community built at Tsaxana near the town of Gold River. Throughout the years, however, Mowachaht people have remained living at Yuquot. One family continues to live there and each year many Mowachaht/Muchalaht people return for an annual Summerfest, a community celebration of survival.

Yuquot is today, still, the centre of our world. Now that we are regaining our strength, we are developing plans for our capital and we hope that one day our ancestral village will achieve World Heritage Site status with UNESCO. The nation is working on developing tourist facilities at Yuquot and Ahaminaquus, have upgraded our water taxi, and other initiatives. Following our traditions, we welcome honoured guests from all over the world, and invite you to visit Yuquot and other parts of our hahoothlee.