The

Nuu-chah-nulth The Nuu-chah-nulth (; Nuučaan̓uł: ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fift ...

Tribal Council is a

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 Nat ...

Tribal Council in the

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

province of

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

, located on the west coast of

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

. The organization is based in

Port Alberni Port Alberni () is a city located on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The city lies within the Alberni Valley at the head of the Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island's longest inlet. It is the location of the head offices o ...

History

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council began as the West Coast Allied Tribes in 1958, but then incorporated as a non-profit society called the West Coast District Society of Indian Chiefs in 1973. In 2009, the name was changed to the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) (NTC, 2008). The northern boundary of Nuu-chah-nulth territory begins on the west coast of Vancouver Island at Brooks Peninsula and the southern boundary is at Port Renfrew. The territory extends inland about halfway across the island to encompass Gold River and Port Alberni. There are fourteen tribes that comprise the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations. These tribes share many aspects of their culture, language and traditions. Each Nation can have several "houses" that are centered on a Ha’wiih (hereditary chief) who is responsible for their Ha’houlthee (chiefly territories) (NTC, 2008).

Member First Nations

Southern region

* Ditidaht First Nation (Niitiinaʔatḥ) * Huu-ay-aht First Nation (Huuʕiiʔatḥ) *

Hupacasath First Nation The Hupacasath First Nation is a First Nations government based in the Alberni Valley on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. An alternate spelling of Hupac ...

(Huupač̓asʔatḥ) * Tseshaht First Nation (C̓išaaʔatḥ) *

Uchucklesaht First Nation The Uchucklesaht Tribe, or Uchucklesaht First Nation, is a modern treaty government located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a member of the Maa-nulth Treaty Society and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Counc ...

(Ḥuučuqƛisʔatḥ)

Central region

Ahousaht First Nation The Ahousaht First Nation is a First Nation government based on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It administers the community of Ahousaht, British Columbia, which encompasses much of Clayoquot Sound. The Ahousah ...

(ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ) *

Hesquiaht First Nation The Hesquiaht First Nation (pronounced Hesh-kwit or Hes-kwee-at) is a Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations band government based on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The Hesquiaht First Nation are members of the Nuu-chah- ...

(Ḥiškʷiiʔstḥ) * Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ) * Toquaht First Nation (T̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥ) * Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet First Nation)

Northern region

Ehattesaht First Nation The Ehattesaht First Nation (Nuu-Chah-nulth: ʔiiḥatisatḥ činax̣int) is a First Nations government covering about 660 km^2 (66,000 hectares) on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in the British Columbia, Canada. It is a band that is one of th ...

(ʔiiḥatisʔatḥ) * Kyuquot/Cheklesahht First Nation(Qaay̓uuk̓ʷatḥ/Č̓iiqƛisʔstḥ) * Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations (Muwačʔatḥ/Mačłaʔatḥ) * Nuchatlaht First Nation (Nučaaƛʔatḥ) Note: The Pacheedaht First Nation (P̓aačiinaʔatḥ), though Nuu-chah-nulth by culture and language, is not a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. Similarly the closely related Ditidaht of the Ditidaht First Nation and the Makah (Qʷiniščiʔatḥ) of the other side of the

Strait of Juan de Fuca The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about long that is the Salish Sea's outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The international boundary between Canada and the United States runs down the centre ...

are not members of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

The NTC provides programs and services to approximately 8,000 registered members, of which about 2,000 live off reserve (NTC, 2008a). The Central Region is by far the largest component of the NTC at the present time. The role of the NTC is to represent its member nations and provide a variety of programs and services to them. It can coordinate projects (i.e., fisheries, training), oversee issues that overlap jurisdictions and can take advantage of economies of scale or cross regional planning opportunities. As well, it can act as a sounding board and coordinator on many issues of common concern. The NTC operates many programs that help further the wellbeing of the communities within their sphere of influence. The NTC provides programs for its members in the following areas: - Child Welfare - Fisheries - Economic Development - Membership - Education & Training - Financial Administrative Support - Employment & Training - Infrastructure Development - Health - Newspaper (Ha-Shilth-Sa) - Social Development - Teechuktl (mental health) The NTC works with its membership through a programs/services funding formula where each nation receives some portion of their funding based on population and some portion of their funding based on program application. Some programs (child welfare, fisheries, and training) are administered by NTC staff on behalf of the bands. As treaties are negotiated or as capacities build within individual nations, new funding agreements are being negotiated annually. This is shifting the emphasis away from centralized programs towards a greater degree of band-management.

Structure and Administration

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council draws on the resources of fourteen tribes to provide staff and expertise. Not all staff, however, are members of its member nations. The NTC is presided over by a President, Vice-President and an Executive Director. To ensure all areas have access to the administrative body, staff positions are organized to ensure staff coverage for all regions. These include office managers for the Southern and Central Region and Northern Region, secretaries, receptionists and a file clerk. The NTC Board of Directors is composed of the elected Chiefs from each Nation.

Sources

Ecotrust Canada. Sharmalene Mendis-Millard, "Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council," in Daniel Arbour, Brenda Kuecks & Danielle Edwards (editors).
Nuu-chah-nulth Central Region First Nations Governance Structures 2007/2008
', Vancouver, September 2008.

External links

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council Nuu-chah-nulth governments First Nations tribal councils in British Columbia Port Alberni