Songhees facts for kids

The Lekwungen (lək̓ʷəŋən) people are an Indigenous North American group often called the Songhees by others. They are part of the Coast Salish people, who have lived on the coast of British Columbia for thousands of years. The Lekwungen live on the southeastern part of Vancouver Island, near the city of Victoria.

Their official government is the Songhees First Nation. They are also part of larger groups like the Te'mexw Treaty Association and the Naut'sa Mawt Tribal Council. The traditional language of the Lekwungen people is also called Lekwungen, which is a type of the North Straits Salish language.

Life Before European Contact

Long before Europeans arrived in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Lekwungen people had a strong community. There was a fortified village, meaning it was built with defenses, at Finlayson Point in Beacon Hill Park.

Community and Leadership

The Lekwungen society was organized into different family groups called clans. There were twelve clans, and each had its own areas for fishing and hunting. Leaders, called chiefs, inherited their position through the male side of the family. The community also had different social groups, including respected families, common people, and others who served them.

A very important ceremony for the Lekwungen and other Northwest Coast peoples was the potlatch. This was a big celebration where hosts would give away many gifts to show their wealth and status. It was also a time for important events like naming ceremonies or marriages.

When someone passed away, their bodies were placed in canoes or special boxes on the ground, or sometimes in trees. It was considered disrespectful to say the name of a person who had died.

Traditional Homes

The Lekwungen people lived in large homes called bighouses. These were long, rectangular buildings made from cedar planks. They were often decorated with carved poles, sometimes called totem poles, which told stories or showed family history.

The Ancient City of Sitchanalth

Long ago, a large Coast Salish community named Sitchanalth was located where Willows Beach in Oak Bay is today. Experts believe that at its busiest, about 10,000 people lived there.

Sadly, Sitchanalth was destroyed around 930 A.D. by a huge tsunami. This giant wave was caused by a major earthquake along the Devils Mountain Fault. Many people died in this disaster. A small group of survivors moved from Willows Beach to what is now the Inner Harbour area of Victoria.

Today, a special stone marker at Willows Beach shows where this ancient village once stood.

Traditional Food and Medicine

The Lekwungen people had a rich diet based on what they could gather and hunt from their land and waters. Their traditional foods included:

• Salmon
• Shellfish
• Whale
• Deer
• Duck
• Various berries
• Camas root (a plant with an edible bulb)
• Different herbs used for medicine

Arrival of Europeans

When Europeans first arrived, the Lekwungen population was large. In 1859, it was estimated to be around 8,500 people. However, by 1914, the population had dropped to fewer than 200. This big decrease was mainly due to diseases brought by Europeans, like smallpox.

Moving Villages and Reserves

In 1843, the British built Fort Victoria. A Lekwungen village was right next to the fort. Later, this village was moved across Victoria Harbour to what is now the Victoria West neighborhood. The village was moved again, and a special area of land, called an Indian reserve, was set aside for the Songhees near what is now the municipality of View Royal.

You can see a traditional blessing in the Lekwungen language on a mural at the Ogden Point breakwater in Victoria.

Surviving the Smallpox Epidemic

In 1862, a terrible smallpox epidemic spread across British Columbia, killing about two-thirds of all Indigenous people. The Songhees were mostly saved from this disease. This was thanks to smallpox vaccines given by Dr. John Helmcken, a doctor from the Hudson's Bay Company. Also, the Songhees wisely kept themselves separate on Discovery Island to avoid getting sick. Because of these actions, very few Songhees people died during the epidemic.

The Douglas Treaties

Sir James Douglas, who was the governor of Vancouver Island, made a treaty with the Songhees in 1850. This treaty was about land. Much of the land that traditionally belonged to the Songhees is now part of the city of Victoria and the towns around it. The growth of Victoria as the capital city of British Columbia greatly changed the Songhees' traditional way of life and how they made a living.

More recently, the Songhees people felt that the government of British Columbia had not kept its promises from the 1850 treaty. So, they started a legal case against the province and the government of Canada. In November 2006, an agreement was reached to settle the case. This was announced by Songhees Chief Robert Sam, along with government ministers Jim Prentice and Mike de Jong.

Images for kids

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  A plaque marking the site of the ancient Sitchanalth village.