K’ómoks Nation

Comox

The territory of the K’ómoks Nation encompasses the eastern portion of Vancouver Island, from the Salmon River in the north to the Englishman River in the south.

K'omoks culture - Big House. Photo courtesy of I-Hos Gallery

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The main community of K’ómoks is located in Comox, on BC’s South Central Coast.

K’ómoks Nation

The territory of the K’ómoks Nation includes an area of the mainland of British Columbia, comprising Forward Harbour and Texada, Denman, and Hornby Islands.

Archeological evidence has shown K’ómoks villages were located throughout the territory, with significant settlements in the Salmon River watershed, Quadra Island and in the Courtney and Comox areas.

K'omoks Village Late 18th Century. Photo courtesy of K’ómoks Nation — K’omoks Village Late 18th Century. Photo courtesy of K’ómoks Nation

A K’omoks origin story explains how a man named Shalhk’em and woman named Tisitl’a dropped down from the sky at kwaniwsam (Quinsam). They brought the mask and garments of the Xwayxway and together became the first ancestors of the Island Comox people.

The K’omoks people, as a cultural collective, call themselves the “Sathloot.” They refer to their territory as “the land of plenty,” with oral histories describing a rich and bountiful relationship between the nation and their land. The present day leaders of the K’ómoks Nation are working to reclaim their traditional cultural expressions and strengthen the community’s relationship with the land of plently.