History

Artifacts Display

By dating ancestral remains and artifacts, archeologists estimate the Quw'utsun' people have inhabited southern British Columbia and Upper Puget Sound for more than 4500 years.

When European settlers arrived in the Cowichan Valley in the nineteenth century they found nearly 6000 people inhabiting thirteen villages.

Strong family and village ties that bound the culture and its traditions marked their way of life. The values of the culture were embodied in the teachings that were passed on by personal example, story telling and a strong understanding of the importance of respect, cooperation and the necessity of being in harmony with the natural environmental cycles.

Those Who Fell From the Sky

Through the generations, the Quw'utsun' people have told their children the stories of their ancestors, the first Quw'utsun' people. These people "who fell from the sky" populated the wilderness and established the rituals and traditions still practised by many Quw'utsun' people.

Those who fell from the sky were:

Tribes

There are seven tribes that make up the Quw'utsun' people.

Approximately 3900 hundred Quw'utsun' people live in the Cowichan Valley today, making Cowichan the largest tribe in British Columbia.

Traditional Governance

Historical Photo

Each village was comprised of a huge, extended family and was represented by a chief who would take the concerns of the village to tribal meetings where decisions affecting the entire area were made.

Modern Governance

Since 1949 the Cowichan tribes like other First Nations in Canada elect their representatives. An elected chief and twelve councilors make up the Tribal Council, which administers business for an amalgamation of seven of the original thirteen villages.

The Elders

The Quw'utsun' culture is based on an oral history and it is the elders who are responsible for sharing the stories of the ancestors. The elders are the history keepers, an important role for a people who have few other sources of history from a native perspective available to them.

The Quw'utsun' people are keenly aware that as times change they could lose the stories of their history. Now, with the permission of the individual elder, they are video and audio taping the storytelling gatherings.

Current Treaty Status

Like many other British Columbia First Nations the Cowichan tribes are in the midst of treaty negotiations. Currently at Stage Four, they are negotiating an agreement in principle with the governments of British Columbia and Canada.