113:. The Meares Islands are on the lower side of the Vancouver Islands in British Columbia, Canada. The settlement is only accessible by boat, or the local water taxi services. The island's vast terrain called for multiple species of marine life, animal life, and plant species. Opitsaht was also known for its natural flourishment of trees and plants, which would later spark an environmental protest between the Tla-o-qui-aht people and potential forestry companies looking to tear down the local woods. The main terrain of Opitsaht is its island-like flat ground, and is surrounded by The Arakun Islands, Stockham Island, and Monas Island. These islands also home thousands of trees, ranging from Evergreen Conifer Trees to Shore Pine. These various trees and plants produce food, such as fruits and berries, and the trees themselves provide a forest spreading throughout the Vancouver Islands.
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216:, ceremonies to distribute and show personal trade goods, develop treaties, and redistribute wealth among internal or neighboring tribes. The federal government banned Potlatch ceremonies from 1884 to 1951, as an addition to the Indian Act. In terms of government and hierarchy, the Tla-o-qui-aht has a history of hereditary leaders known as Ha'wiih, or
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The Tla-o-qui-aht people followed a religion similar to those of the
Northwest Pacific Coast Indians, centered around the spirits in the world and a higher being. It is believed that every being has a spirit, and therefore should be respected and appreciated. Religious practices are encouraged by the
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Tla-o-qui-aht culture was still prominent after the effects of The Indian Act and various attempts of assimilation by the expanding colonists. Throughout history, the collective bands of the Nuu-chah-nulth nation have had a strong ceremonial culture, often revolving around entertainment and feasting.
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Opitsaht is also home to cows, which never really made their way into Tla-o-qui-aht cuisine and therefore were left alone on the Island. The main Tla-o-qui-aht cuisine was centered around salmon, crustaceans, and other sea and plant life. The marsh-like area isn't common to cows, but their adaptation
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declared
Clayoquot Sound as a Biosphere reserve, in turn protecting it from industrialization. Opitsaht and the Meares Islands are currently in the Vancouver Islands, British Columbia, and the Tla-o-qui-aht are currently involved in negotiations with the federal government to gain potential
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Environmental benefits of being located near marine life included access to salmon, sea otters, and even whales. These animals were hunted for their fur and skin, and often used as a major trading source between the Tla-o-qui-aht people and settlers that would be involved in the
194:. The plans started in 1984, but the Tla-o-qui-aht people were ready to defend their tribal land. These old forests were considered tribal ground and ancient woodlands, sparking a resistance and large-scale protest of the area, known as the "
130:, which the Meares Islands were known to have a plethora of. However, after the fur trade and large industrial farming techniques, the salmon population has reduced drastically around Opitsaht and the Meares Islands. The
163:, a ship based trading system during the popularity of sea otter fur and other marine life usually located around the Pacific Northwest Coast of Alaska. At the same time, Opitsaht was the home to Tla-o-qui-aht chief,
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made a strong alliance with
Wickaninnish in the summer of 1791. Although Wickaninnish remained an ally of Kendrick, the good feelings towards Americans that Kendrick had built were ruined by Kendrick's former partner
171:, after tensions arose between the Tla-o-qui-aht people and the European settlers who had made contact. In 1792, the village was destroyed, including 200 (unoccupied) longhouses that were home to 50-100 people each.
220:. These special leaders owned the rights to certain ceremonies and stories. The Ha'wiih governed alongside the elected government of the Tla-o-qui-aht nation, consisting of counselors and other elected officials.
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nation. The Tla-o-qui-aht are an
Indigenous group from the Pacific Northwest region in the lower Vancouver area, known for their lifestyle revolving around the marine life trade and culture within the community.
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The settlers of
Opitsaht would soon have to turn to assimilation, with the increased amount of European immigrants spreading throughout the 19th century. Tla-o-qui-aht people were forced onto
182:. Over time, the Nuu-chah-nulth culture faded, but the Tla-o-qui-aht people, along with the other Nuu-chah-nulth tribes, are continuing to preserve the culture and language of their people.
126:. Their diet was also supported by various plants and animals, such as berries and deer, which were hunted in the forests around Opitsaht. One of the main marine life resources was
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over time has found them to be surviving peacefully in the Meares
Islands and Opitsaht, grazing in the beach waters and finding their way along the island.
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96:, which is named after the village and is an official land status used by Statistics Canada as a census area, was 174 at the Census of 2006.
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569:""The War in the Woods": Post-Fordist Restructuring, Globalization, and the Contested Remapping of British Columbia's Forest Economy"
167:, who was present during the initial European contact in the 1780s. The original village of Opitsaht was destroyed by the American
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Environmental tensions arose in the Meares
Islands area after British Columbia's government wanted to cut down the old forests in
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as part of a falling-out with the Tla-o-qui-aht when Gray evacuated his erstwhile "fort" nearby on Meares Island, known as
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Opitsaht is located on the Meares Island, directly across from the neighboring town and popular tourist destination,
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79:. The original village of Opitsaht was lost when Gray ordered it destroyed by the cannons of the
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in 1792 the village contained 200 ornately carved buildings typical of Nuu-chah-nulth villages.
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This includes various songs, dances, and contests. The most popular of these theatricals were
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697:"Potlatch | Potlatch | Living Tradition, The Kwakwaka'wakw Potlatch on the Northwest Coast"
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and residential schools, all various methods to control the Native way of life under
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350:"Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Census Subdivision"
42:, Clayoquot South, British Columbia. This peninsula-like region is the home to
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89:. Today, Opitsaht is one of the main villages of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.
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led the expansion in the area, lowering the amount of salmon reproduced.
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Morning of Fire: John
Kendrick's Daring American Odyssey in the Pacific
38:, is a First Nations settlement/community in the Southwest area of the
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U'mista
Cultural Society, Synthescape Art Imaging (November 1, 2015).
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The settlement of
Opitsaht was a great resource point during the
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The BC Coast Explorer Volume 1: North and West Vancouver Island
616:"How Clayoquot Sound's War in the Woods transformed a region"
281:
Islands of Truth: The Imperial Fashioning of Vancouver Island
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estimated a population of about 2,500 people. According to
62:, chief of the Tla-o-qui-aht. In 1791 the Spanish explorer
520:"Who Was The First American To Circumnavigate The Globe?"
446:"Tla-o-qui-aht (Clayoquot) | The Canadian Encyclopedia"
470:"Where the Cows Roam Wild • British Columbia Magazine"
284:. University of British Columbia Press. p. 132.
422:"Vancouver Island Mushrooms - Tree Identification"
573:Annals of the Association of American Geographers
228:upkeeping ancient medicines and healing rituals.
495:"Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest"
203:independence and the ability to self-govern.
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721:Winkelman, Michael; Peek, Philip M. (2004).
16:First Nation community in British Columbiz
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224:Nuu-chah-nulth nation, with traditional
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724:Divination and Healing: Potent Vision
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321:. Harper Collins. pp. 231–246.
207:Tla-o-qui-aht culture and religion
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141:Opitsaht from the Meares Islands
727:. University of Arizona Press.
132:Clayoquot Sound Canning Company
100:Geography and natural resources
674:www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
645:www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
450:www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
372:"Opitsaht West Coast N.E.S.T."
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394:Kimantas, John (2018-03-16).
567:Hayter, Roger (2003-09-01).
94:Opitsat Indian Reserve No. 1
817:History of British Columbia
676:. The Canadian Encyclopedia
670:"Tla-o-qui-aht (Clayoquot)"
647:. The Canadian Encyclopedia
641:"Tla-o-qui-aht (Clayoquot)"
58:, Opitsaht was the seat of
44:Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations
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186:Environment and resistance
155:Fur Trade and Assimilation
585:10.1111/1467-8306.9303010
474:British Columbia Magazine
400:. Wild Coast Publishing.
426:www.westcoastforager.com
278:Clayton, Daniel (2011).
117:Trade benefits and food
23:Aerial view of Opitsaht
812:Clayoquot Sound region
783:49.17306°N 125.90639°W
315:Ridley, Scott (2010).
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54:During the era of the
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757:BC Geographical Names
375:www.westcoastnest.org
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788:49.17306; -125.90639
752:"Opitsat (locality)"
518:Williams, Joseph A.
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169:Captain Robert Gray
499:www.washington.edu
161:Maritime Fur Trade
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124:Maritime Fur Trade
92:The population of
64:Francisco de Eliza
56:Maritime Fur Trade
30:, spelled also as
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734:978-0-8165-2377-1
701:umistapotlatch.ca
548:www.nwcouncil.org
544:"Indian treaties"
524:Curious Historian
407:978-0-9879851-0-1
354:Statistics Canada
328:978-0-06-202019-2
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620:The Narwhal
334:25 November
297:25 November
105:Environment
77:Robert Gray
801:Categories
771:49°10′23″N
553:2022-05-12
529:2022-06-04
504:2022-05-12
480:2022-05-12
455:2022-05-12
431:2022-06-01
380:2022-05-12
266:References
239:Kingfisher
601:155087749
593:0004-5608
68:John Boit
36:Opitsitah
232:See also
214:Potlatch
28:Opitsaht
706:May 12,
680:May 12,
651:May 12,
625:May 12,
226:shamans
150:History
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32:Opitsat
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128:salmon
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