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This website presents primary documents, archaeological collections, archival photographs and selections from ethnographic and First Nations documents and aural histories which present aspects of the long and complex history of the Salish people who inhabit the Pacific Northwest Coast of America. Particular emphasis has been placed on presenting resources for educational use; particularly technology and the impact of contact. The Coast Salish inhabit the coast from the Columbia River north to the Strait of Georgia at Bute Inlet. The map locates the various Salish linguistic and cultural groups in relation to other First Nations of what is now British Columbia. Salish lands include the coastal mainland and Vancouver Island from the Strait of Georgia at Johnstone Strait south through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Lower Fraser Valley and the lands draining into Puget Sound. There is archaeological evidence of human occupation in this area dating back 4000 years. After the European invasion, this area was divided politically by the U.S./Canadian border and is included in what is now called the Province of British Columbia and the State of Washington. The Coast Salish people speak many languages; the Northern Salish include the speakers of the Comox, Pentlatch and Sechelt languages; the Central Salish include speakers of the Squamish, Halkomelem, Nooksack, Northern Straits and Clallam languages; the Southern Salish speak Lushootseed and Twana. The Salish form of government is through extended families where a household group has rights to specific living, hunting, fishing and plant collecting areas. Salish culture and art is notable for a strong spiritual and storytelling tradition; beautiful basketry and weaving; and dynamic artwork. View archival photographs of Salish technology, ethnographers and the impact of contact which have been scanned from the collections of the Royal BC Museum and the BC Archives. Close study of these photographs reveal unique aspects of Salish fishing technology. European contact brought many changes to the Salish people - particularly population decimation through disease and the loss of land to the British. Traditions links you to primary documents, ethnographic histories, First Nations histories and other educational resources organized to tell the stories of Salish technology; the impact of disease; historic land negotiations; settlers views; ethnographers' views and a bibliography. These primary and secondary sources allow you to study some of the factors affected and changed Salish culture and the 'shift in power' over land and government in the Pacific Northwest. We hope you draw your own conclusions as to how these historical events effected the development of Canada. You can also search the Archaeological Collections excavated from the provincially protected Salish archaeological sites of Kosapsom and Xa:ytem. View artifacts that were made for hunting or fishing over 2000 years ago! The website provides a French overview of Salish culture, technology and the impact of contact. The Education section addresses the BC Social Studies Curriculum Learning Outcomes through Lesson Plans and Activities for Grade 4, Grade 10 and First Nations 12. The Grade 10 Lesson Plan - "Shift in Power" - was developed by teachers through the Vancouver Social Studies Teachers Network, 1999/2000. Finally, please visit the Team page. We are the organisations, which provided information and built this website.
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