These people traditionally eat fish, primarily
salmon and
eulachon from the ocean, as well as fish from lakes and rivers, and roots and berries. Recently discovered
clam gardens suggest that they were not limited only to hunting and gathering. They made use of the forests of the Pacific to build dug-out
canoes, and houses made of evenly split planks of wood. They used tools made of stone and wood. The native peoples of the Pacific coast also make
totem poles, a trait attributed to other tribes as well. In 2000 a
land claim was settled between the
Nisga'a people of
British Columbia and the provincial government, resulting in the return of over 2,000 square kilometres of land to the Nisga'a. Major ethnicities include the: •
Coast Salish peoples •
shíshálh (
Sechelt) •
Squamish •
Pentlatch (a.k.a. Puntledge, extinct) •
Qualicum • Comox-speaking: •
K'omoks (Kwak'wala speaking today) •
Sliammon •
Homalco •
Klahoose •
Halkomelem-speaking • Hulquminum (Island Halkomelem): •
Hwlitsum (Lamalcha or Lamalchi) •
Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo) •
Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose) •
Cowichan •
Somena (S’amuna’) •
Quw'utsun •
Quamichan •
Clemclemaluts (L’uml’umuluts) •
Comiaken (Qwum’yiqun’) •
Khenipsen (Hinupsum) •
Kilpahlas (Tl’ulpalus) •
Koksilah (Hwulqwselu) •
Penelakut • Hun'qumi'num (Downriver Halkomelem) •
Musqueam •
Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard) •
Katzie •
Kwantlen •
Kwikwetlem (Coquitlam) •
Snokomish (extinct) •
Tsawwassen • Halqemeylem (Upriver Halkomelem) •
Sts'Ailes (Chehalis) •
Sto:lo (Fraser River Salish) •
Aitchelitz •
Leq'á:mel •
Matsqui •
Popkum •
Shxwhá:y •
Skawahlook •
Skowkale •
Squiala •
Sumas •
Tzeachten •
Yakweakwioose •
Chawathil •
Cheam •
Kwaw-kwaw-Apilt •
Sq'éwlets (Scowlitz) •
Seabird Island •
Shxw'ow'hamel •
Soowahlie •
North Straits Salish-speaking •
Songhees (a.k.a.
Songish, a.k.a.
Lekwungen) •
T'Souke (
Sooke) •
Semiahmoo •
Malahat •
Lummi •
Klallam •
Tsartlip •
Tsawout •
Tseycum •
Pauquachin •
Esquimalt •
New Westminster (no language affiliation) •
Nuxálk (
Bella Coola) •
Kimsquit •
Tallheo •
Stuie •
Kwatna •
Tsimshianic peoples (Northern Mainland) •
Tsimshian (Sm'algyax speaking) •
Gitxsan (Gitxsanimaax speaking) •
Nisga'a •
Haida (Haad kil speaking) • Southern Wakashan peoples •
Nuu-chah-nulth (incorrectly called
Nootka) •
Tla-o-qui-aht (
Clayoquot) •
Mowachaht-
Muchalaht •
Ahousaht (formed from the merger of the Ahousaht and
Kelsemeht bands in 1951) •
Ehattesaht •
Hesquiaht •
Cheklesahht •
Kyuquot •
Nuchatlaht •
Huu-ay-aht (formerly Ohiaht) •
Hupacasath (formerly Opetchesaht) •
Toquaht •
Tseshaht •
Uchucklesaht •
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) •
Ditidaht •
Pacheedaht • Northern Wakashan peoples (Central Coast) •
Kwakwaka'wakw •
Laich-kwil-tach (Euclataws/Yuculta a.k.a. Southern Kwakiutl) •
Weewaikai (
Cape Mudge) •
Wewaykum (
Campbell River) •
Kwiakah •
Koskimo •
'Namgis (Nimpkish) •
Haisla (
Kitamaat) •
Henaksiala •
Heiltsuk (
Bella Bella, at the community of the same name) •
Wuikinuxv (Owekeeno) •
Tsetsaut (extinct Athapaskan-speakers) ==Plains==