The City of Port Alberni is joining with the Tseshaht First Nation for National Indigenous Day to reawaken the ancient village site of Tlu Kwaat Kuu-iss.
Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts says 200 years ago, gunboats blasted the village with cannon fire, clearing the beach for what would become the first sawmill in the area.
“Tseshaht had various seasonal rounds where they went to different parts of our territory for different purposes,” he said. “This winter village site had numerous longhouses and at contact, there is oral and other history, that talks about these gunboats that came near the shore and fired cannons and actually displaced the people from their village.”
Watts said Tlu Kwaat Kuu-is was the place where the sacred wolf ritual was performed during winter ceremonies, and that history will be celebrated by the unveiling of new artwork on the former clocktower, which will be unveiled at 11 am.
Events begin at 8 this morning and run all day, with cultural performances from various Nuu-chah-nulth Nations and an artist’s market.
Comments