A Brief History of the Coast Salish People
The People of the Salish Sea
Map of the Salish Sea Area
Residing around the Northwest Coast of North America are the Coast Salish peoples. This region is defined by being from the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon, up to Bute Inlet in British Columbia. This coastal marine area has archeological evidence of human occupancy for the past 8,000 years. Coast Salish territories were first divided in 1848, and colonial control over the Northwest coast began in 1843 when Fort Victoria was built. The fort destroyed a place Coast Salish people used for hunting, harvesting plants, and fishing. The fort became a important trading location for many groups of indigenous people.
"Return of a War Party," 1847. Songhees village (left) and Fort Victoria (right). Painting by Paul Kane (Royal Ontario Museum)
"Deadman's Island, Vancouver," 1899. Painting: T. M. Martin
Just north of Vancouver, is Deadman's Island, which was an ancient Coast Salish burial site. In the 1860's settlers began mining for coal nearby, and in 1888 it was forced to become a smallpox quarantine site for small pox victims; until 1899, when a settler stole the land, and cleared all the trees to build a sawmill. In 1930, the island became a naval station. The land was claimed by the Musequem First Nation in 2005.
Deadman's Island, Vancouver, Present Day
Today there is an estimated 56,000 Coast Salish peoples living in the U.S. and Canada. The small pox epidemic was devastating to these people, with some tribes losing as much as 70% of their population.
Today, the Salish people are still working to restore their lives after nearly three centuries of deracination. Many of the tribes still exist today and they continue to speak traditional languages and exercise traditional beliefs, practices and legends.
'People of the Salish Sea (Coast Salish)' from the film 'Clearwater'
