Background information
The Wiukinuxv Nation has inhabited areas along the central coast near Rivers Inlet, Oweekeno Lake and its drainage for over ten thousand years. Other spellings for Oweekeno include “Owikeno,” “Owekano,” and “Oweekayno.”
The traditional language of the Wuikinuxv is called 'Wuikala, which is related to the Heiltsuk language. Both are part of the North Wakashan language family. The Wuikinuxv Nation is a member of the Wuikinuxv-Kitasoo-Nuxalk Tribal Council, based in Bella Coola.
Wiukinuxv seasonal subsistence patterns historically involved more travel inland than other coastal groups, due to their location at the head of the inlet.
Much of the village of Wuikinuxv was destroyed by fire in 1835.
Smallpox epidemic
In the mid-1800s, the smallpox epidemic reduced the Wiukinuxv population by 90%.
Canneries
By the late 1800s, sixteen canneries had been built near Rivers Inlet.
Coastal Guardian Watchmen Network
The Wiukinuxv Nation is a member organization of the Coastal Guardian Watchmen Network, a consortium of Indigenous land and water protectors overseeing stewardship of their protected territories.
Wuikinuxv Big House
The Wuikinuxv people built the House of Nuakawa, a new big house, in 2005. Since then they've had many feasts, potlatches, community gatherings, funerals and General Assemblies within its walls. The building of the big house has been a source of strength and pride for the Wuikinuxv people.
Getting to Wuikinuxv
The community is only accessible by boat or floatplane.
Plane
From Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island and from Vancouver, Pacific Coastal Airlines offers wilderness seaplane flights to Owekeeno Village.
Boat
West Sea Otter Water Taxi offers water taxi service to and from Port Hardy to Wuikinuxv.
Tour operators
There are no tour operators located in Wuikinuxv, though several tour guides can be found in nearby Rivers Inlet.
Additional information
Heiltsuk, Hai Hais, and Oweekeno (The Bill Reid Centre)
https://www.sfu.ca/brc/art_architecture/nw_coast_architecture/heiltsuk-architecture.html
Wuikinuxv Nation (Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance)
https://www.ccira.ca/wuikinuxv/
Oweekeno / Wuikinuxv (Quilt of Belonging)
https://www.quiltofbelonging.ca/blocks/oweekeno-wuikinuxv/
Oweekeno (Land Without Limits)
https://landwithoutlimits.com/places/great-bear-rainforest/oweekeno/
We Are The Wuikinuxv Nation
http://moa.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Sourcebooks-Wuikinuxv.pdf
Who We Are (Wuikinuxv Nation)
https://www.wuikinuxv.net/who-we-are
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