The Peoples of the West Coast

The Pacific Northwest Coast, encompassing what is now British Columbia, is home to a breathtaking diversity of Indigenous Nations. Unlike many other parts of North America, this region was not dominated by a single cultural or linguistic family. Instead, dozens of distinct peoples, speaking languages from multiple unique language families, developed rich and complex societies shaped by the abundance of the land and sea.

The art, governance, and social structures of West Coast peoples are renowned for their sophistication and depth, deeply intertwined with their specific territories—from the coastal rainforests and river systems to the inland plateaus.

  • The Salish peoples form one of the largest linguistic groups in the region, but they are divided into two broad geographic and cultural categories: the Coast Salish and the Interior Salish.

    The Coast Salish peoples' traditional territories stretch along the Pacific coast from northern British Columbia down to Oregon, encompassing the Fraser River Valley, Puget Sound, and Vancouver Island. Their cultures are profoundly shaped by the ocean, rivers, and cedar forests.

    • Society: They traditionally lived in large, multi-family plank houses in permanent winter villages. Society was often organized around extended families and kinship, with governance structures varying by community.

    • Economy & Culture: The salmon is central to their diet, economy, and spiritual life. Cedar trees were also vital, used to build everything from magnificent houses and ocean-going canoes to clothing, baskets, and ceremonial items. The Potlatch, a complex ceremony involving feasting, gifting, and the affirmation of social status and rights, is a cornerstone of their cultural and political life.

    • Nations Mentioned in Your Document:

      • Cowichan Tribes (BC): Located in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, the Cowichan are the largest single First Nation in British Columbia. Their name is an anglicization of Quw'utsun, which means "people of the warm land." They have a deep connection to the Cowichan and Koksilah Rivers and are renowned for their iconic Cowichan sweaters, a unique wool-knitting tradition.

      • Snuneymuxw First Nation (BC): The Snuneymuxw people's traditional territory is in the center of Vancouver Island, centered around what is now Nanaimo. Their name means "the great people." Their history and culture are tied to the coastline, rivers, and the rich resources of the Salish Sea. They have been leaders in asserting their treaty rights and title to their traditional lands and waters.

    The Interior Salish peoples live in the inland plateau regions of British Columbia and the northwestern United States. While they share linguistic roots with their coastal relatives, their environment—drier, with rolling hills, river valleys, and grasslands—shaped a different way of life.

    • Society & Economy: They were traditionally semi-nomadic, moving between permanent winter villages built near major rivers (often living in pit houses) and seasonal camps for hunting, fishing, and gathering roots and berries. Salmon was also a vital food source, caught as it migrated up the major river systems like the Fraser and Columbia.

    • Nation Mentioned in Your Document:

      • Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc (te-KEM-loops te se-KWEP-em) (BC): This community is part of the larger Secwépemc (Shuswap) Nation. Their name means "people of the confluence," referring to their home at the meeting point of the North and South Thompson Rivers, near Kamloops. The Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc have a powerful history of resilience. In recent years, they have been at the forefront of the national and international conversation about the legacy of residential schools after confirming the presence of unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

  • These are two entirely separate linguistic and cultural families, distinct from the Salish. Their traditional territories are primarily on the northern and central coasts of British Columbia.

    • Tsimshianic (tsim-shee-an): Peoples speaking Tsimshianic languages, whose territories are along the Nass and Skeena Rivers and the adjacent coast.

    • Wakashan: A language family that includes peoples like the Heiltsuk, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Makah.

    • Kitasoo Xai'xais Nation (kit-a-soo / hî hîs) (BC): This Nation, located in the community of Klemtu in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, is a unique union of two distinct peoples who came together for mutual support and survival.

      • The Kitasoo people are of Tsimshian ancestry and language.

      • The Xai'xais people are of Heiltsuk ancestry and speak a dialect of the Wakashan language family.

    This union demonstrates the complex histories and alliances that have shaped the West Coast. The Kitasoo Xai'xais Nation are today global leaders in conservation and sustainable resource management. They have been instrumental in the creation of the Great Bear Rainforest conservation area and are pioneering a sustainable "conservation economy" that balances environmental stewardship with community well-being and cultural preservation.