Hopetown, British Columbia facts for kids
Hopetown (in the Kwak'wala language, it's called heǥa̱m's) is a special community for the Gwawa'enux people. They are part of the larger Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations group. This village is located on the south side of Watson Island. It's north of Broughton Island, in a beautiful area called the Broughton Archipelago. This whole region is on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Hopetown is officially known as Hopetown Indian Reserve No. 10A. The traditional name for the village in the Kwak'wala language is Hikums. It has also been spelled Hegams, Hakina, or Hegams. This name means "facing outwards."
Contents
Exploring Hopetown's Past
Early Visits and Changes
Some historians believe that Captain George Vancouver might have visited the Hopetown village. This possible visit happened on August 1, 1792. Later, around the 1860s, the village was left empty for a time. This happened because of a raid by the Bella Bella (Heiltsuk) people. After the raid, Hopetown was mainly used as a place for fishing.
Re-establishing the Village
The village remained a fishing station until about 1904. Around this time, people began to live in Hopetown again. It became a re-occupied community.
Artistic Views of the Area
A famous artist named Walter J. Phillips created a woodcut artwork. This artwork shows a welcome figure at the village. In the background of his art, you can see Mount Stephens. This mountain is located to the east, near Nimmo Bay. It is also just west of Kingcome Inlet.
