Two Mowachaht women wearing cedar-bark clothing, with clam baskets on outside beach at Yuquot ca. 1915.
Yuquot means “where the wind blows from all directions.” During the winter powerful winds sweep unhindered from the southwest across the open ocean, piling massive waves to crash on our rocky shores, driving spray and water far inland.
Herring fishing, illustrated by Cardero, 1792
We know every corner of our hahoothlee; the habits of all the animals, fish, plants, trees, and birds. Every mountain, point, river and fishing bank has a name. Our ancestors knew how to hunt and catch large whales by hand. Salmon streams were carefully monitored and ha’wiih controlled the harvesting of fish and other resources, to ensure future abundance.
Distinctive Chief’s hat, woven of cedar bark; the design shows a whale hunt, now in a museum in Spain.
Yuquot is ideally located between land and sea, between the outside and inside, between the abundance and energy of the ocean, and the majesty and richness of the forest and the inlets of Nootka Sound. Outside, the open Pacific, there are abundant whales, sea lions and seals, and fishing banks for halibut, cod and salmon.
Cecelia Savey with Whaler’s hat she made
The rocky shorelines provide mussels, barnacles and other seafood. Inside, sheltered waters there are clams, oysters and herring, and the forests which sustain us with cedar, alder, berries, plants, deer, elk and much more. Further inside, up the inlets, are the rivers that once were rich with spawning salmon, and trails that led up through the mountains across Vancouver Island to neighbouring nations, with whom we’ve always traded.