Whulk facts for kids
Whulk or xwalkw was an old village of the Kwakwaka'wakw people. Its name means "(logs) placed crosswise." This village was located at the mouth of the Nimpkish River on the northern part of Vancouver Island. It was an important place for some of the groups that make up today's 'Namgis people. Most 'Namgis people now live in Yalis on Cormorant Island, also known as Alert Bay Indian Reserve No. 1.
The Legend of Whulk
Long, long ago, in the time of legends, a special being called a Transformer visited Whulk. His name was Q!a'neqe lak. He married the daughter of the chief of Whulk, whose name was Gwa' nalalis. Later, Gwa' nalalis was transformed into the Nimpkish River. The Nimpkish River is still known as gwa' ne in the Kwak'wala language.
European Visitors and Village Life
In 1792, two European explorers, Galiano and Vancouver, visited Whulk. They reported that the village had 34 houses. At that time, it's thought that between 200 and 900 people lived there.
The village site is also known by another name, Cheslakees. People have tried to connect this name to old stories from the Kwakwaka'wakw people, but they haven't been able to. It is believed that Cheslakees was the name of the main chief of the village when Galiano and Vancouver visited.
Whulk Becomes a Reserve
In 1886, the area where Whulk was located became part of Ches-la-kee Indian Reserve No. 3. This reserve was created to protect the land for the Indigenous people.
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