BC First Nations on the coast are well known among the art community because of West coast or Haida art. But there are aboriginal communities all over this beautiful province, from the warm shelter of the Okanogan Valley to the highest mountains, from the US border on the south to the snowy tundra of the north.
At the end of 2005, 120,004 people were registered as being of aboriginal descent in BC. About 49% lived on reserves. There were 198 different bands in existence in BC in 2006 and 29 Tribal Councils. The total number of reserves is about 1,700 on 343,741 square hectares of land. That’s .36% of BC’s total land base.
At one time, at least 34 native languages were used in the province. Today, BC First Nations are divided into three cultural areas: the Northwest coast, the southern Plateau and the northern Subarctic.
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Northwest Coast BC First Nations
Everybody wants to move to the coast! This was true even thousands of years ago. With its mild weather and abundance of natural resources, the coast soon became home to many First Nations.
The coastal environment provided a steady amount of food in the form of fish for the people who lived here. As a result, they didn’t have to roam after food sources like the Prairie First Nations. They were able to settle permanently and had more free time to pursue activities that didn’t contribute to survival, like art.
Plateau BC First Nations
The southern interior region of BC was home to the Plateau cultural group. These people spoke Interior Salish languages and had fewer material goods than those on the coast. Salmon, deer and plants made up their diet.
The mild summers were ideal for a more nomadic existence and the people tended to settle in one place throughout the cold winters.
Subarctic BC First Nations
Not surprisingly, fewer First Nations settled in northern BC than on the coast. The cold, harsh climate led to a highly nomadic life as people moved back and forth hunting and gathering food and supplies for shelter and other needs. Salmon was important to many of these First Nations, as was other sea life.
This section of the site contains information about BC First Nations bands and reserves. You’ll find a complete listing of BC First Nations, which include Doig River First Nation And Squamish First Nation.
BC First Nations also include Ktunaxa Nation whose members are spread throughout British Columbia and the United States and are bound by a common language and culture.
Taku River Tlingit is a First Nation living in a modern day paradise. Learn more about this First Nation, the pristine wilderness its members reside in and what they’re doing to protect their land.