Cowichan Tribes ( hur, Quw’utsun) is the

band government In Canada, an Indian band or band (french: bande indienne, link=no), sometimes referred to as a First Nation band (french: bande de la Première Nation, link=no) or simply a First Nation, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subjec ...

of the Cowichan, a group of

Coast Salish peoples The Coast Salish is a group of ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, living in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. They speak one of the Coa ...

who live in the

Cowichan Valley The Cowichan Valley is a region around the Cowichan River, Cowichan Bay and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. There is some debate as to the origin of the name Cowichan, which many believe to be an anglicized form ...

region on

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

. With over 3,800 registered members, it is the single largest

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

band in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

.Cowichan Tribe
Cowichan Tribes Overview
. When the band was created pursuant to the

Indian Act The ''Indian Act'' (, long name ''An Act to amend and consolidate the laws respecting Indians'') is a Canadian act of Parliament that concerns registered Indians, their bands, and the system of Indian reserves. First passed in 1876 and still ...

, seven nearby peoples were amalgamated into one "band." The

Quamichan Quamichan (or Kw’amutsun) is a traditional nation of the Coast Salish people, commonly referred to by the English adaptation of ''Qu'wutsun'' ("warm place") as the Cowichan Indians, or First Nations, of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, i ...

/Kw'amutsun are the largest cultural group, but the nation also includes Clemclemaluts (L'uml'umuluts), Comiaken (Qwum'yiqun'), Khenipsen (Hinupsum), Kilpahlas (Tl'ulpalus), Koksilah (Hwulqwselu), and

Somena The Somena (or S’amuna’) are one of several Hul̓q̓umín̓um̓-speaking indigenous peoples living in the Cowichan Valley- Duncan region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The Somena were one of seven tribes or nations that wer ...

(S'amuna').

Tribal area

Qamutsun Village - Cowichan LACMA AC1997

The traditional territory of the Cowichan people covered the entire

, the surrounding area around

Cowichan Lake Cowichan Lake is a large freshwater lake located on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is located along the Cowichan Valley in the Cowichan Valley Regional District, with its eastern shore about west of Duncan, British Colum ...

, Shawnigan Lake, and extended into the

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands are a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by George Vancouver in his ma ...

and the

Fraser River The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...

. The lower reaches of the Cowichan Valley, particularly the area stretching from the present location of Duncan down to

Cowichan Bay Cowichan Bay () is a bay and community located on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island near Duncan, in British Columbia. The mouth of the Cowichan River is near Cowichan Bay. Mount Tzouhalem and its hiking trails and ecological reserve sta ...

(and including the lower

Koksilah River The Koksilah River () is a river on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, flowing northeast to enter Cowichan Bay just southeast of the City of Duncan. Part of the river is protected as Koksilah River Provincial Park. It is the namesake of ...

), was the most heavily settled. Today, the total reserve area is currently 24 square kilometres (5,900 acres), made up of nine Reserves, with Core Traditional Territory is approximately 1,750 square kilometres (100,000 acres). The tribe comprises seven traditional villages . (Kw'amutsun, Qwum'yiqun', Hwulqwselu, S'amuna', L'uml'umuluts, Hinupsum, Tl'ulpalus) # Quamichan ( hur, Kwa’mutsun) # Comiaken ( hur, Qw’umiyiqun) # Koksilah ( hur, Xwulqw’selu) # Somena ( hur, S’amuna’) # Clemclemluts ( hur, Lhumlhumuluts’) # Khenipsen ( hur, Xinupsum) # Cowichan Bay ( hur, Tl'lulpalus)

Reserves

Indian Reserves In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." Ind ...

under the administration of the Cowichan Tribes are: * Cowichan 1, Cowichan District, 8 Parcels Of Land, Quamichan District Another 8 Parcels Of Land, 2292.70 ha. * Theik 2 ( hur, Thiq), Cowichan District, On South Shore Of Cowichan Bay, East Coast Of Vancouver Island, 30.3 ha. * Kil-pah-las 3 ( hur, Tl'lulpalus), Cowichan District Sec 6 Rge 5, On South Shore Of Cowichan Bay East Coast Of Vancouver Island, 20.6 ha. * Est-Patrolas 4 ( hur, Quli’lum), Shawinagan District, Sec 19, Range 5, 2 Miles South Of Cowichan Bay, 27.8 ha. * Tzart-lam 5 ( hur, Ts’alha’um), Sahtlam District, Part Of Sec 6, Rge 6, On Left Bank Of Cowichan River, Vancouver Island, 6.5 ha. * Kakalatza 6 ( hur, Quyxuletse’), Shatlam District, Part Of Sec 7 & 8 Rge 2 On Left Bank Of Cowichan River, 8.0 ha. * Skutz 7 ( hur, Skwutz), Cowichan Lake District, On Left Bank Of Cowichan River At Skutz Canyon, 7.3 ha. * Skutz 8 ( hur, Skwutz), Cowichan Lake District On The Cowichan River, At Head Of Skutz Canyon, 14.9 ha. * Cowichan 9, Cowichan District, West 1/2 Of Sec 11 Rge 2, Near Mouth Of Koksilak River At Head Of Cowichan Bay, 17.9 ha.

Governance

Cowichan Tribes is governed by an elected band council consisting of a chief and 12 councilors, within the framework of the Indian Act. It is part of the

Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group The Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group was founded in 1993 to negotiate a treaty with the Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada.https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.hulquminum.bc.ca/our_mandate The organization is based in Duncan, Britis ...

which is currently at Stage 4 (Agreement in Principle) of the

British Columbia Treaty Process The British Columbia Treaty Process (BCTP) is a land claims negotiation process started in 1993 to resolve outstanding issues, including claims to un-extinguished indigenous rights, with British Columbia's First Nations. Two treaties have been ...

. The band is responsible for providing social programmes for children and families, education, health, housing, and social development.

Tribal-owned businesses

Cowichan Tribes currently owns and operates Khowutzun Development Corporation (KDC) group of companies, which includes the following subsidiaries with a combined 2004 revenue of $60 million: * Khowutzun Mustimuhw Contractors Limited Partnership (KMCLP) * Khowutzun Forest Services Limited Partnership (KFCLP) * Khowutzun Millwork & Joinery Limited Partnership (KMJLP) * Quw'utsun Cultural and Conference Centre (QCCC) Cowichan Tribes are also known for a distinctive type of knitting, most especially Cowichan sweaters.

References

External links

Cowichan Tribes Website

First Nations Detail: Cowichan
Profile by

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to: *Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology * Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area *One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...

Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group

Khowutzun Development Corporation
{{Coast Salish, state=hide Coast Salish governments Duncan, British Columbia Mid Vancouver Island