Tlowitsis Nation
Knight Inlet and Turnour Island
The Tlowitsis First Nation’s territory is located at the mouth of Knight Inlet, encompassing Glendale Cove, Blinkinsop Bay, Kelsey Bay, and Beaver Cove as well as the Adam and Eve rivers on Vancouver Island.
The Tlowitsis Nation’s main community is located on Vancouver Island. The traditional territory of the Tlowitsis Nation spans the Queen Charlotte Strait and Johnstone Strait region of the Discovery Islands.
Tlowitsis Nation
The Tlowitsis territory also includes a portion of Hanson Island, Harbletown Island, Turnour Island, East and West Carcroft Islands, Call Inlet, and Port Neville watershed on the BC Coast.
The Tlowitsis Nation traditionally travelled and lived throughout their territory, evidenced by seasonal travel routes, food processing locations, and burial and cultural sites across the entire territory.
More recently their main village was at Qalogwis on Turnour Island, which had traditionally been the primary winter village.
See Projects
In the 1960’s the Canadian Government closed down the local school and the hospital ship at Qalogwis. With no access to education and healthcare, the Tlowitsis community gradually left Qalogwis and dispersed throughout Vancouver Island and southern BC.
To help preserve and strengthen the community ties to their land, the Tlowitsis Guardians maintain a presence throughout their territory and are involved in the conservation and protection of cultural, economic, and ecological values.
Tlowitsis Nation Projects
In partnership with Coast Funds, Tlowitsis Nation has invested in:
| First Nation | Applicant |
Project |
Description | Links | Type |
Year |
Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tlowitsis Nation | Tlowitsis First Nation | Happy as a Clam Shellfish Ltd. – Twin Islands Oyster Farm Expansion | To expand Happy as a Clam Shellfish Ltd.'s operations and farm inventory based southeast of Cortes Island at Twin Islands by constructing and installing additional oyster farm grow-out rafts and constructing a new harvesting machine to enable more efficient oyster sorting and grading processes that increases the company's harvesting volumes | Economic Development Fund | 2015 | $ 17,429 | |
| Tlowitsis Nation | Tlowitsis First Nation | Guardian Watchman Program Start-up | To initiate and operate a Guardian Watchman Program throughout its territories for eight months and to conduct salmon enumeration in streams in Port Neville | Conservation Fund | 2015 | $ 67,742 | |
| Tlowitsis Nation | Tlowitsis First Nation | Acquisition of Happy as a Clam Ltd. | To acquire the lease for an oyster and clam producer, Happy as a Clam Ltd., and consolidate operations with Chief’s Pride Aquaculture Corp. | Economic Development Fund | 2013 | $ 316,000 | |
| Tlowitsis Nation | Chief's Pride Aquaculture Corp. | Shellfish Farm Expansion | To expand an existing oyster farm that is operated by the Tlowitsis First Nation and to build floating accommodation and a workstation platform for aquaculture operations | Economic Development Fund | 2009 | $ 100,000 |
| Total Projects | 4 | Total Invested | $ 501,171 |
Total Projects: 4
Total Invested: $ 501,171
Related to Tlowitsis Nation
Ha-ma-yas Stewardship Network Supports Guardians, Collaboration
Through Ha-ma-yas, Na̲nwak̲olas member First Nations are pooling resources and increasing their access to training, fundraising, procurement, and data storage, and technical expertise.
Na̲nwak̲olas Council Celebrates Guardian Graduates
Estimated Reading time
6 Mins
Spirits were high at the Kwanwatsi Big House as family members, community leaders, and partners filled rows of seats to celebrate and recognize graduates of the 2020/2021 Na̲nwak̲olas and Vancouver Island University (VIU) Stewardship Technician Training Program (STTP). About 100 people attended the June 12 ceremony to recognize graduates’ achievements and share words of encouragement
Knight Inlet Lodge Acquired by Na̲nwak̲olas
Estimated Reading time
3 Mins
Na̲nwak̲olas is thrilled to be acquiring the ‘platinum standard setting’ Knight Inlet Lodge – a business that, under the guidance of Dean and Kathy Wyatt, has become the leader in the eco-adventure lodge business in British Columbia, with an international reputation that is second to none.
Tlowitsis Organizations and Resources
Online Resources
- Tlowitsis Guardians
Indigenous Guardians Toolkit
- Tlowitsis Marine Planning
Na̲nwak̲olas Council Society
- Negotiating Turnour Island
Shima - The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures
- Tlowitsis - Governance
First Nations in BC Knowledge Network