Tseshaht
The Tseshaht or Tsisha? At (formerly Sheshat) are Canadian Indians and belong to the Nuu-chah-nulth , one of the groups of Indian tribes or First Nations living on the Pacific coast . They originally lived on Tsisha or Benson Island, an island off the west coast of Vancouver Island . Today they live in reserves near Port Alberni . The Tsehshaht speak Wakash and are members of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, which represents 15 of the 16 Nuu-chah-nulth groups.
In April 2010, 1,010 (May 2009: 978) people were recognized as members of the tribe, of which 400 (389) lived in the reservation near Port Alberni , 582 (563) outside the reservation, the remaining 28 distributed on other reservations.
history
Tseshaht Archaeological Project
The archaeological research project on the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island is jointly supported by the Tseshaht Nation and Parks Canada . These islands, now located within Pacific Rim National Park, are the traditional home of the Tseshaht. The scientific work began in 1999 and 2000 and focused on Benson Island , an outer island of the group on which the old village of Ts'ishaa was located. Oral traditions of the Tseshaht determine this place to be the place of their origin, where First Man (Naasiya'atu) and First Woman (Naasayilhim) were created. Later records by the anthropologist Edward Sapir, based on accounts of Tseshaht elders from the early 20th century, identify the social groups that once lived here and report large plank houses with painted fronts.
The archaeological research team, led by Alan McMillan and Denis St. Claire, dug several deep trenches through the remains of the village. Deposits from 4 m depth consist mostly of mussel shells and testify to a way of life that largely depended on the resources of the sea. The people living in this open ocean location ate a wide variety of fish species and also hunted sea lions and whales. Reports from elders of the Tseshaht about the great whalers who once lived in this village are corroborated by various finds of large quantities of whale bones. In addition, there is the tip of a harpoon made of mussel shells that was still stuck deep in the skull of a whale. In addition, over 700 artifacts were excavated. Mostly it is sharpened bone fragments that served as fishing tackle, although an ornate bone comb and a polished pendant made of black stone bear witness to other areas of life. The archaeological finds from the main village cover a period of two millennia.
Older finds have been discovered on an elevation behind the main village. This area was inhabited when the sea level was over three meters higher than it is today. Once the waves broke at the foot of this elevation; this was followed by a gradual elevation of the land and the establishment of the village below. Data obtained using the radiocarbon method show that this part of the facility was first inhabited over 5,500 years ago. It thus represents the oldest known archaeological site on the west coast of Vancouver Island today. The artefacts found in this area mainly contain primitive stone objects that differ significantly from those of the later village.
Public information plays a major role in this project. Over 1,700 visitors to this part of the Pacific Rim National Park saw the excavations progress. Tseshaht guides explained the history of the complex and the Tseshaht people, thus ensuring a greater understanding of this group of islands. Another aspect was the training of the Tseshaht youth, who provided a substantial part of the excavation team. Elders and other parishioners showed great interest and went on a long journey to follow the excavations. The Tseshaht work with the Pacific Rim National Park to protect their cultural heritage in order to raise awareness among visitors of their history in the area. Camping on Benson Island has been prohibited since May 1, 2009 to protect the sites.
Reserves, population decline
In 1881 there were 174 tseshaht, in 1891 there were only 151.
Current situation
Today the Tseshaht have 8 reserves totaling 584 hectares in the central west of Vancouver Island. The population center is in the Tsahaheh No. 1 Indian Reservation . The reservations were assigned to them by Commissioner O'Reilly in 1882 . Their former territory on Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island was once one of the areas with the highest Indian population density on the island.
The reserve is accessible by road, air and water. Some houses have running water from Port Alberni, while others get water from a community well. The wastewater is disposed of either via the Port Alberni sewer system or via septic tanks. Police service and medical care are also provided by Port Alberni.
The public facilities of the reserve consist of a community hall, a spa house, a cultural center, a cemetery and a school. Economic activities include fishing and forestry.
Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
The Tseshat coordinated the representation of the Nuu-chah-nulth at the 2010 Winter Olympics , as one of seven Indian cultural units. The Nuu-chah-nulth had $ 154,000 available to support artists, with Tim Paul, a tseshat artist, taking the lead. The theme chosen by the artists was Hupakwanum, the name given to the chiefs' boxes. In addition to Sayers, a Hupacasath , eight other artists were involved: Pat Amos, Tom Paul, Jason Titian, Tobias Watts, Qwaya Sam and Jake Gallic; woven baskets create the Ahousaht Alice Sam and the Hesquiaht Delores Bayne to represent more than just the masculine side of their culture.
See also
literature
- S. Golla: Legendary History of the Tsesha'at: A Working Translation , in: Nuu-chah-nulth. Voices, Histories, Objects and Journeys, eds. AL Hoover, Victoria 2000, 133-171
- Iain McKechnie: Five Thousand Years of Fishing at a Shell Midden in the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound, British Columbia , Santa Cruz: University of California 1999
- Alan D. McMillan, Denis E. St. Claire: Ts'ishaa: Archeology and Ethnography of a Nuu-chal-nulth Origin Site in Barkley Sound , 2005
- Wayne Suttles (Ed.): Handbook of North American Indians . Volume 7: Northwest Coast. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC 1990. ISBN 0-87474-187-4
Web links
- Official website of the Tseshaht
- Archeology in the Tseshat area
- Alfred Carmichael, Indian Legends of Vancouver, illustrations by J. Semeyn, Victoria o. J.
Remarks
- ↑ According to the information from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development , First Nation Profiles: Tseshaht ( Memento of the original from July 1, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ See Tseshaht Archaeological Project .
- ↑ No more camping on national park's Benson Island ( Memento of the original from July 1, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , in: Westerly April 30, 2009 and Camping Discontinued on Benson Island, Broken Group Islands , Parks Canada
- ↑ Nuu-chah-nulth artists works to be showcased at 2010 Olympics , bclocalnews, March 12, 2009 ( Memento of the original from April 19, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
