Hwlitsum facts for kids
The Hwlitsum (also called Lamalchi or Lamalcha) are an Indigenous people from the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada. These islands were their traditional lands for a very long time. Their main villages were located on Canoe Pass (which they call Hwlitsum), Kuper Island (which they call Lamalchi), Saltspring Island, and Galiano Island.
The Lamalcha War: A Conflict in the Gulf Islands
On April 20, 1863, a British warship called HMS Forward attacked a Hwlitsum village on Kuper Island. This attack started a series of events known as the Lamalcha War. The government of the Colony of Vancouver Island believed that some men in the village had harmed settlers.
During the conflict, the Hwlitsum people managed to take control of the British ship, HMS Forward. They then sold parts of it. This was a very rare event, as it was the only time the powerful Royal Navy was defeated in a conflict like this between the 1850s and the early 1900s. The Hwlitsum were very skilled at avoiding capture by other Royal Navy ships, including HMS Satellite.
Eventually, four Hwlitsum men were executed in Victoria. The Hwlitsum village was taken over by the government. Today, this area is home to the Penelakut people, and the Kuper Island Indian reserves are managed by the Penelakut First Nation.
The Hwlitsum People Today
Working for Land Rights
The Hwlitsum people are still working to have their rights recognized. In 2014, elders from the group filed a land claim in the BC Supreme Court. They are seeking recognition for their traditional lands, including parts of Stanley Park, Galiano Island, and Saltspring Island. These claims sometimes overlap with the claims of other First Nations, like the Squamish and Musqueam Nation, which is common in British Columbia.
Currently, the Hwlitsum Band is not yet officially recognized by the Canadian government under the federal Indian Act. However, in 2007, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs sent a letter to the federal and provincial governments, showing their support for the Hwlitsum's cause.
