History of British Columbia

First Nations of British Columbia

Diverse nations and clans

Different housing and social structures – Importance of Cedar

Fishing most important source of food

Banning of the Potlatch in 1884

Interior First Nations

Southern Plateau Chilcotin Kootenay (Kutenai) Thompson Lillooet Shuswap Okanagan

Northwest Coast

Nations: Haida, Tsimshian, Nishga, Gitsan, Kwakiutl, Nuu-Chah-Nulth, Coast Salish

Clans: Squamish, Cowichan, Musquem

Languages 80% of First Nations languages in

Canada, can be found in British Columbia

Historically – more than 34 languages spoken in BC

Our Location: Salish family Language: Halq’eméylem (Halkomelem)

Subsistence Salmon very

important and sacred Caught on Fraser in

Fall

Hunted whales in large canoes

Black-tailed deer, bear, elk, mountain goat

The Spanish 1774

HOLA Juan!

First European to explore Haida Gwaii

Unfavorable weather prevented him from taking formal possession for Spain

Nootka Sound

Captain James Cook

1778 Captain James Cook arrives in Nootka Sound

Meets Maquinna, chief of the Moachat group of the Nootka Nation

Eventually killed in Hawaii for being just plain silly

Simon Fraser British NWC

Employee

Exploring the Columbia – Looking for the Pacific

Set up 1st Trading Post Fort McLeod

1808 Reached the Fraser River

Coming Overland!

Hell’s Gate