Huu-ay-aht
The Huu-ay-aht or Ohiaht are North American Indians and refer to themselves as the Huu-ay-aht First Nation . They live on Vancouver Island off the west coast of Canada . They speak Wakash and belong to the Nuu-chah-nulth . They are mainly represented vis-à-vis the government by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council , but have also come together to form the Maa-nulth group, which consists of five Nuu-chah-nulth bands.
The Huu-ay-aht are spread over thirteen reservations in Barkley Sound , but the majority of the more than 670 members do not live on the reservation.
history
Mythological beginnings
For the Huu-ay-aht there is no memory of the time before immigration. The first human couple came from heaven, the first man was called Nutchkoa. Nutchkoa appears on the stakes in the region, although at that time the inhabitants were partly humans and partly birds. The first woman was named Ho-miniki, came from the moon and married one of the most important ancestors, Shewish.
Huu7ii
The older carvings and stakes were made in Kiix? In (pronounced "kie-hin") around 1860, according to tradition, to greet visitors, especially the Makah . These stakes now adorn the entrance area of the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria .
Huu7ii was the original residence of the Huu-ay-aht. The abandoned place is probably the only one where the large carvings by a Nuu-chah-nulth tribe have remained in place. Therefore the Huu-ay-aht consider whether the site should not be developed for tourism. They are supported by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada . The excavations from 2004 to 2006 took place in house 1, a long house 35 m in length. The finds indicate that there was a settlement here as early as 500 AD. The house itself was built between 1100 and 1300 and was abandoned before 1600. Artifacts from the period between 3,000 and 1,000 BC were found in an elevation near the settlement. The vast majority of the nearly one thousand artifacts consist of the remains of fish and marine mammals.
reserve
The largest reserve is Numukamis 1 (422.9 ha) in Barkley Sound , more precisely in Numukamis Bay. The reserve areas are not far from Bamfield , although Pachena Bay with its campsite has gained a certain economic importance in ecotourism. In addition, most of the Huu-ay-aht live here in the Anacla 12 reserve. The reserves cover a total of around 850 hectares, in which, however, only 98 Huu-ay-aht lived in April 2010, 33 more lived in other reserves, the vast majority (545) lived outside the reserves. The tribe had a total of 676 members.
Chief is Robert Dennis Sr., who is advised by four Councilors .
National park
When Pacific Rim National Park was established in 2001, the tribes bordering the West Coast Trail took over the maintenance of the challenging hiking trail. The Quu'as partnership set up for this purpose, a corporate joint venture of Pacheedaht , Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht with Parks Canada , develops and maintains the path, creating jobs, but strictly limits access to only a few visitors per Day.
Todays situation
The reclamation of natural and cultural resources is, as with all Nuu-chah-nulth, perhaps with all First Nations , in the foreground. Here is an example: The Sarita River, the “heart of the people”, which has been severely damaged by logging, is to be restored. It is mainly about the former importance for the salmon. To this end, a project in collaboration with Weyerhaeuser was supposed to protect an area with old trees in which there are so-called Culturally Modified Trees , trees on which there are traces of processing from past generations. The remaining stock is to be sold, and the profits will be used to finance a restoration program for the Sarita River. One of the houses (Quaksweaqwul) in Kiix7in could be dated to around 1835.
Maa nulth treaty
In 2006 the five groups of the Maa-nulth First Nations closed, to which, in addition to the Huu-ay-aht, the Yu-cluth-aht, the Toquaht and the Ka: 'yu:' k't'h '/ Che: k'tles7et' h ' and the Uchucklesaht Tribe, an agreement on land rights, the Maa-nulth Final Agreement , with the Province of British Columbia and the State of Canada .
With this agreement, which affects around 250 km² of land, the parties involved have agreed on rights and obligations of use. The First Nations have legislative power over this country and determine exactly when provincial or federal law breaks that law. In addition, rural districts were established which the Maa nulth tribes are allowed to acquire and which are then subject to the same law. Overall, they receive all rights to the mineral resources and the forests. At the same time, they can prohibit hunting and fishing. The bands involved must have sent a director to the board of the two districts of Port Alberni and Comox no later than 10 years after the contract comes into force . In addition, the government has pledged transfers totaling CAD 21.6 million, totaling approximately CAD 73 million; for rights to use their resources 380,000 or 1.2 million CAD per year.
The five groups are allowed to collect taxes on their land, but must allow the settlers who do not belong to their groups to participate. In addition, the groups involved are allowed to take all measures to protect their cultural heritage. This also applies to cultural assets that are in the collections of the Royal British Columbia Museum , the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Parks Canada .
Finally, after a transition period, all provisions of the Indian Act will lose their validity. In 2008, ratification by the federal government was due, the five tribes and the provincial government had already done so. In March 2009, the Huu-ay-aht resigned from one of the final legal proceedings over fishing rights, signed their agreement on April 9, and the German government ratified the treaty in June.
See also
literature
- William C. Sturtevant (Ed.): Handbook of North American Indians . Volume 7: Wayne Suttles (Ed.): Northwest Coast . Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC 1990, ISBN 0-87474-187-4 .
Web links
- Official homepage of the Huu-ay-aht
- Archeology in the Huu-ay-aht area
- The Maa-nulth First Nations
- Culturally Modified Trees of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations , film contribution by Western Forest Products
Remarks
- ↑ According to the information from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development , First Nation Profiles: Huu-ay-aht First Nations ( Memento of the original from June 30, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
- ↑ It can be found on the website of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada: Maa-nulth First Nations. Final Agreement .
- ↑ Federal government approves treaty with Maa-nulth First Nations on Vancouver Island , in: Times-Colonist, June 17, 2009 ( Memento of June 26, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
