The Pauaquachin (formerly Pak-quw-chin) are a

Coast Salish The Coast Salish peoples are a group of ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, living in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. They speak on ...

indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

whose territory is in the

Greater Victoria Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is usually defined as the thirteen municipalities of the Capital Regional District (CRD) on V ...

area of southern

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Their houses stand between

Gordon Head Gordon Head is a seaside neighbourhood in the municipality of Saanich in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories exte ...

and Cowichan Head. They are one of the five groups of houses or 'families' of Saanich, along with the

Tsawout The Tsawout First Nation is a First Nations government located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. They are a member of the Sencot'en Alliance. In the 1850s they were signatories to the Douglas Treaties. They speak the SENĆOŦEN l ...

, the Tseycum, the Malahat, the T'sou-ke, and the

Tsartlip The Tsartlip First Nation is a First Nation located on the Saanich Peninsula, in Saanich territory on Vancouver Island. They are a member of the Sencot'en Alliance fighting for Native rights. In the 1850s, they were signatories to one of the ...

First Nations. According to a 2016 census, 330 people were recognized as Pauquachin. Speakers of North Straits Salish, they were organized by the

Indian Act The ''Indian Act'' () is a Canadian Act of Parliament that concerns registered Indians, their bands, and the system of Indian reserves. First passed in 1876 and still in force with amendments, it is the primary document that defines how t ...

into the Pauquachin First Nation. The Pauquachin are members of the

Te'Mexw Treaty Association The Te'mexw Treaty Association (from Halkomelem 'land, earth') handles Treaty negotiations in the BC Treaty Process for a number of First Nations located in the northern Strait of Georgia of British Columbia. The members of the association are for ...

, which conducts treaty negotiations with the governments of Canada and British Columbia for several tribes.

History

According to the Pauquachin First Nations, the population in Pauquachin began as a small group of 14 families.

Contract with the Hudson's Bay Company

In 1852m, Governor James Douglas made two treaties with the

Saanich people The Saanich people ( ) are a Central Coast Salish people indigenous to parts of British Columbia and western Washington state. The W̱SÁNEĆ peoples are represented by the Tsartlip, Pauquachin, Tsawout, Tseycum and Malahat First Nat ...

. He concluded one with the southern Saanich, i.e. with Pauquachin and Malahat, on February 6, 1852 - signed by Whut-say mullet and nine other people - and one on February 11 with the northern Saanich. In exchange for several hundred blankets, this treaty was the basis for taking their land from them.

Reservations

The Pauquachin hold title to and live on three reservations on the

Saanich Inlet Saanich Inlet (also Saanich Arm) is a body of salt water that lies between the Saanich Peninsula and the Malahat, British Columbia, Malahat highlands of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Located just northwest of Victoria, British Colum ...

south of Mill Bay and in the

Goldstream Two different neighbourhoods located in Langford, British Columbia in Greater Victoria on southern Vancouver Island include the name Goldstream. Goldstream Meadows is a neighbourhood in the city of Langford, on the northwest outskirts of Gr ...

and

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...

Districts at the southern end of the Finlayson Arm and at the mouth of the

Goldstream River The Goldstream River is a tributary of the Columbia River, joining that stream via the Lake Revelstoke reservoir after running largely west from the heart of the northern Selkirk Mountains. The river's name derives from the Big Bend Gold Rush o ...

– Coles Bay (Indian Reserve #3), Hatch Point (Indian Reserve #12), and Goldstream (Indian Reserve #13), with the Goldstream reserve claim being shared along with the Malahat, Tsartlip, Tsawout and Tseycum First Nations for traditional fishing purposes. All on-reserve Pauquachin members reside on the Coles Bay reserve where residential, cultural, and administrative buildings are available. The reservations were established in 1877 as part of the

Douglas Treaties The Douglas Treaties, also known as the Vancouver Island Treaties or the Fort Victoria Treaties, were a series of treaties signed between a number of First Nations of Vancouver Island and the Colony of Vancouver Island. Background With the sign ...

on Southern Vancouver Island, which were a colonial policy that recognized indigenous possession of land.

Destruction of land

In 1996, officials determined that the decades-long conversion of the region around the Saanich Inlet had led to massive destruction. A 1997 study of cultural development found similar results. These investigations were related to the Bamberton Town Development Project, a development project adjacent to the Malahat area, a project with far-reaching ecological and hence cultural implications. A project was developed under the auspices of the Environmental Assessment Office, which was to take into account the demands of the six tribes concerned, i.e. the Malahat, Tsartlip, Pauquachin, Tseycum and Tsawout Bands, and the Cowichan Tribes. The report outlined the traditional and current uses of the affected land. The experiences from this led to the protection of various areas in the newly created city and culminated in 1998 in the participation of the indigenous people in the development of marine protection areas.

External links

Pauquachin First Nation

References