The Penelakut are a large (about 1000 individuals) Hul'qumi'num-speaking First Nation. They live primarily on Penelakut Island (formerly Kuper Island) near the south end of

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 ...

, and

Galiano Island Galiano Island ( Hul'qumi'num: ''Swiikw'') is one of the Southern Gulf Islands located between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the west side of the Strait of Georgia, the island is bordered by Mayne ...

. Their land stretches to Tent Island which is private and currently uninhabited. The name Penelakut comes from ''penálaxeth''', the village on the northeast end of Penelakut Island, once the largest Hul'qumi'num-speaking village in the

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands is a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Coast, mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia", the original term used by Geor ...

. ''Penálaxeth''' means "log buried on the beach", which may refer to the many

longhouse A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America. Many were built from lumber, timber and ...

s that were once on the beach near there.

References

External links

Penelakut HomepageGallery of Penelakut ArtworkPenelakut
- Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group First Nations in British Columbia Gulf Islands Southern Vancouver Island Coast Salish {{BritishColumbia-stub