Wuikinuxv Nation facts for kids
The Wuikinuxv Nation, also known as the Oweekeno Nation, is a group of Indigenous people in Canada. Their traditional home is along the shores of Rivers Inlet and Owikeno Lake in the beautiful Central Coast area of British Columbia. This region is south of Bella Bella and north of Queen Charlotte Strait.
The Wuikinuxv people, also called the Oweekeno people, mainly live in a village on the Wannock River. This village is located near Rivers Inlet and Owikeno Lake. Many Wuikinuxv people also live in other places like Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, and bigger cities in British Columbia such as Campbell River, Vancouver, and Victoria. Around 80 people live in the main village, which is called Katit Indian Reserve No. 1. In 2006, the total number of Wuikinuxv members was 283, with 194 of them living outside the reserve.
The Wuikinuxv Nation has a modern government with an elected Chief and Council. These leaders manage the community's economy and daily operations. The Nation also respects its older, traditional system of hereditary leaders, which has been passed down through families for generations. The Wuikinuxv Nation is part of the Wuikinuxv-Kitasoo-Nuxalk Tribal Council.
Wuikinuxv Language: Oowekyala
The Wuikinuxv people speak a language called Oowekyala. This language is part of the Northern Wakashan language family. Oowekyala is a dialect of a larger language known as Heiltsuk-Oowekyala. The other main dialect of this language is Heiltsuk. The Wuikinuxv people officially spell their language "Wuikyala." In the past, their language and people were sometimes mistakenly called "Northern Kwakiutl."
Wuikinuxv Indian Reserves
The Wuikinuxv Nation manages several Indian Reserves. These are special areas of land set aside for First Nations communities.
- Katit Indian Reserve No. 1: This reserve is located on the banks of the Wannock River, where it flows out of Owikeno Lake, near Rivers Inlet. It covers an area of 658 hectares.
- Kiltala Indian Reserve No. 2: This reserve is found at the mouth of the Kilbella River on Kilbella Bay. This bay is part of Rivers Inlet. It covers 50 hectares.
- Cockmi Indian Reserve No. 3: This reserve is on the western tip of Walbran Island, close to Darby Channel. It is 4.80 hectares in size.
