Homalco Culture Tour

HOMALCO FIRST NATION CULTURE & HISTORY

Homalco First Nation Culture is woven together by our people, our land, and our wildlife. We are deeply connected to our culture through our language, and it’s these connections that guide our way of life. We are strong stewards of our territories, storytellers of our history, and knowledge.

The Xwémalhkwu, or Homalco, First Nation are known as the people of the fast-running waters. It’s the coursing waters of our traditional territories that lend this name, running from Dent Island, just north of Sonora Island, travelling over to Raza Passage and extending over the entire Bute Inlet. Our main village sites were spread throughout the Homathko River, Southgate River, Orford Bay and the mouth of Bute Inlet.

Like other Coastal First Nation peoples, the Homalco thrived on the bounty of the ocean and had everything they needed from the land. Travelling with the seasons for gathering, hunting and fishing, the Homalco people shared in the resources throughout the territory and were taught to respect the sacred cedar tree. Its strong fibres would provide the Homalco with clothing, shelter, baskets, canoes, hand tools and burial boxes. The cedar tree was an important part of everyday life and is still a prominent symbol in our culture.

The cultural makeup of Vancouver Island is not just ours; traditionally Homalco lived alongside the Klahoose, Island Comox, Lakwiltok and Sliammon nations. In fact, the Homalco people speak a dialect of the mainland Comox language, a Coast Salish branch of the Salishan language family.