Today, the combination of Aboriginal, Spanish and English heritage is reflected in the place names along the coast.
Saturna, Galiano and Estevan have exotic Spanish derivation, while Cook, Douglas, Chatham and Cavendish hearken back to English discovery and governance. Indian names like Cowichan, Songhees, Haida and Sooke (T'Sou-ke Nation) come from an Aboriginal population that has inhabited the Island since the ice age.
If you stare out at the smoky Sooke Hills on a misty day, or visit Goldstream Park during the salmon run in November, it is easy to imagine the life of the First Nations people on the Island prior to European arrival. In the Rainforest, where old growth areas have been preserved, one gets a glimpse of the past, unadulterated by the changes wrought in this century.
There are three main First Nations groups on Vancouver Island : the Kwakwaka'wakw, the Nootka and the Coastal Salish. Their way of life was based on the generous bounty of the earth, and their spiritual culture on the natural world. Visual manifestation of this rich culture is evidenced in elaborately carved totem poles and beautifully constructed longhouses that grace the Island . First Nations' artwork, masks and clothing are appreciated internationally for their singular beauty. |
