Voices of the Elders: Huu-Ay-Aht Histories and Legends

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Heritage House Publishing Co, Apr 30, 2013 - Nuu-chah-nulth Indians - 144 pages
There is a special place on the southeastern shores of Barkley Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It is a magnificent landscape of rocky cliffs fronting onto the wild Pacific Ocean, sheltered beaches, lakes, mountains and forests. Since the beginning of time, it has been the ancestral home of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation.

Drawing directly from oral history passed down by generations of Huu-ay-aht chiefs and elders, Kathryn Bridge and Kevin Neary tell the compelling stories of the Huu-ay-aht people from their perspective. This is a fascinating glimpse into the complex and rich history of a West Coast First Nation, from creation tales and accounts of their traditional ways to the recent Maa'nulth treaty.

 

Contents

PROLOGUE
7
INTRODUCTION
9
Chief Louie and the Four Great Spirits
14
The Great Flood
25
The Story ofKeehin
33
West Coast Peoples
52
Two Villages and their People Disappear
71
Whales and Whaling
84
The World Changes Forever
104
Fur Sealing
124
A Modern Treaty
132
GLOSSARY OF PLACE NAMEs
138
BIBLIOGRAPHY
139
INDEX
141
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
143
Copyright

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About the author (2013)

Kathryn Bridge is an archivist and historian who lives in Victoria, BC. She has written several books about pioneers in British Columbia, including By Snowshoe, Buckboard and Steamer (winner of the 1998 Lieutenant-Governor's Medal for Historical Writing)and Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer (a finalist at the Banff Mountain Book Festival and a runner-up for the Van City Book Prize). Over the years she and her family have explored, camped and boated in many of the coastal areas of Vancouver Island. Kevin Neary is a consultant in anthropology, research and museum interpretation for many First Nations and cultural institutions in British Columbia. He has participated in several research projects with the Huu-ay-aht over the past 20 years, developing a warm appreciation for Huu-ay-aht people, culture, language and history.

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