NAIG Day 6 - Cultural Education

Today, I had the chance to learn a little bit about the history of the Cowichan peoples and see some of the pole carvings and the 2D art work on the sides of some of their longhouses.



I also came across an interesting plaque posted by the Canadian Heritage Rivers Systems while wandering by the river. It tells the story of The Cowichan River. The story goes like this:

“The first people of Cowichan came to earth from the sky. They found a rich land, warmed by the sun and nourished with a river teeming with salmon, which they called Quw’utsun Sta’lo. For thousands of years, this 47 km river has provided their descendants with abundant food, transportation and water. When settlers arrived in the mid-1800’s, they also relied on the gifts of the river and prospered through fishing, farming and logging.

The people of this valley have benefited greatly from the gifts of the river, reaping natural wealth from its waters and the lands it flows through, living on its shores, playing in its waters, and enjoying its beauty. Today, the people of the valley are working together to give back to the river – to conserve the Cowichan.

Designation of the Cowichan River as a Canadian Heritage River is testimony to its significance as a national treasure. The commitment of local communities to conserving the river will be measured by the strength of the salmon culture. This plaque honours that commitment and the river.”