The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations () are a

Nuu-chah-nulth The Nuu-chah-nulth ( ; ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fifteen related tri ...

First Nation (

band government In Canada, an Indian band (), First Nation band () or simply band, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the ''Indian Act'' (i.e. status Indians or First Nations). Bands are typically small groups of people: the largest in ...

) in

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 ...

. They live on ten reserves along the

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a national park located in British Columbia, Canada, which comprises three separate regions: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. It is located in the Pacific Coast Mountains, wh ...

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. The band is part of the

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council is a First Nations Tribal Council in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The organization is based in Port Alberni, British Columbia. History The differe ...

. There were 618 people living in the Tla-o-qui-aht reserves in 1995. Their primary economic activities are

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

Introduction

Tla-o-qui-aht, whose ancestral border is determined by the height of land, the direction of the rivers flow and as far as the eye can see on the ocean, is a confederacy of aboriginal groups who historically were independent from one another. Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations is the Indian band mandated under the federal ''

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 ...

'' to deliver civil and human services to Tla-o-qui-aht. The hereditary governance systems and structures of Tla-o-qui-aht that exist today, and that have existed since

time immemorial Time immemorial () is a phrase meaning time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition, indefinitely ancient, "ancient beyond memory or record". The phrase is used in legally significant contexts as well as in common parlance. ...

have a dynamic relationship with the Indian band administration and with the general population of Tla-o-qui-aht. The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation resides on two separate reserves, one on Meares Island () and the other at Esowista, surrounded by

. A reserve expansion is planned for the Esowista site. The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) has been active in economic development. The keystone to understanding Tla-o-qui-aht history is understanding what the term ''Tla-o-qui-aht'' means. The following translation/interpretation was developed based on conversations with various Tla-o-qui-aht elders (including Mary Hayes and Dixon Sam Mitt, among others), fluent speakers, master craftsmen, seasoned politicians and those who participated in the exhaustive community consultation that was implemented by Tla-o-qui-aht during the Meares Island court case. Tla-o-qui-aht is the

confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

of historic native groups that once lived all around the lake system called Ha-ooke-min. ''Tla-o-qui-aht'' has been translated to mean "different people from a different place." However, it means much more than that: is a prefix for the term 'people', and is a place in

Clayoquot Sound Clayoquot Sound is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia. It is bordered by the Esowista Peninsula to the south, and the Hesquiaht Peninsula to the North. ...

presently known as Clayoqua. In this way ''Tla-o-qui-aht'' can be understood to mean the "people from a different place." Clayoquot Sound is on the western coast of

, north of

Tofino Tofino ( , Nuu-chah-nulth language, Nuu-chah-nulth: ''Načiks'') is a town of approximately 2,516 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia. The District ...

. In former times, the tribe's ancestors were in fact not one tribe, but many small tribes and family groups who lived all around , which is now known as Kennedy Lake and which is where Tla-o-qui is located. The defining event that changed the face of Tla-o-qui-aht forever is eternalized in the name of the Esowista Peninsula. The war of Esowista was a great war that Tla-o-qui-aht engaged in as a single force. The people who once lived on the peninsula from

Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

to Tofino and further north had kept tight control of ocean resources and had made it a common practice to raid the sleepy fishing villages of to take slaves and other commodities. In Nuu-chah-nulth, means "clubbed to death." Tla-o-qui-aht maintained their presence in this part of the sound through to first contact with Europeans in the late 18th century. In summary, Tla-o-qui-aht, different people, are the people from Tla-o-qui; they are a confederation of many different smaller groups who once lived a very different lifestyle at .

Hereditary system

Tla-o-qui-aht is in the process of rebuilding through a combination of restoring functions and adapting to the modern political landscape in British Columbia. The Hereditary Chiefs are leading Tla-o-qui-aht through this process.

Administration

Tla-o-qui-aht maintains two administration offices, one at Opitsaht and the other on the property of Tin Wis Resort in Tofino. They are currently making plans for a new administration and cultural center for the Nation.

Appointments to other boards

Currently, regionally focused appointments are made by the Hereditary Chiefs. Internal appointments to band committees etc. are made by Chief to the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust Board of Directors, the Clayoquot Sound Technical Planning Committee, the Central Region Management Board and the Central Region Board.

Business and economic development

The Tla-o-qui-aht (TFN) has been very active in economic development. They own and operate TinWis Resort, and have launched a tourism-booking center owned by their Economic Development Corporation. The Nation has tourism, artist/carver and small business entrepreneurs. They are involved in expanding their community housing with a reserve expansion situated adjacent to Pacific Rim Provincial Park and they are working towards the establishment of a tribal park in the Kennedy Lake watershed that will "marry" economic development and environmental protection in this part of their territory. In 2008 the Nation signed a protocol with the District of Tofino to work collaboratively towards planned development on the north end of the peninsula where several large parcels of crown land are under discussion. Like several other Nations, some TFN members (six to eight) are still involved in the fishing industry including spawn-on-kelp, and commercial salmon and halibut fishing.

Canoe Creek Hydro

Is a run-of-river hydro plant in operation since 2010. A

weir A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...

on Canoe Creek diverts water through a penstock dropping to a powerhouse with a 5.5 MW Pelton wheel generator. Water is then returned to Canoe Creek, eventually flowing into the Kennedy River. It is owned by a partnership of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations & Swiftwater Power Corp, and managed by Barkley Project Group Ltd. The powerhouse is beside the highway at

Haa-ak-suuk Creek hydro

This hydroelectric project was completed in 2014. It has a

in Haa-ak-suuk Creek diverting water to a penstock leading to a 6 MW powerhouse at

References

*Ecotrust Canada. Eli Enns, "The Tla-o-qui-ahth First Nations," in Daniel Arbour, Brenda Kuecks & Danielle Edwards (editors).
Nuu-chah-nulth Central Region First Nations Governance Structures 2007/2008
'', Vancouver, September 2008.

External links

Government of Canada's Department of Indian and Northern Affairs First Nation profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tla-O-Qui-Aht First Nations Nuu-chah-nulth governments