The Whaling People of the West Coast of Vancouver Island and Cape Flattery

by Eugene Arima, Alan L. Hoover

The Whaling People live along the west coast of Vancouver Island and Cape Flattery in Washington. They comprise more than 20 First Nations, including the Nuu-chah-nulth (formerly called Nootka), Ditidaht, Pacheedaht and Makah. These socially related people enjoyed a highly organized, tradition-based culture for centuries before Europeans arrived. As whaling societies, they had a unique relationship with the sea.


In The Whaling People, Eugene Arima and Alan Hoover give an intimate account of the traditional ways in which these coastal people looked at and understood the world they lived in. They present the activities, technologies and rituals that the Whaling People used to make a living in their complex coastal environments, and their beliefs about the natural and supernatural forces that affected their lives. The book features 12 narratives collected from First Nations elders, each illustrated with original drawings by the celebrated Hesquiaht artist Tim Paul.


This informative and entertaining book celebrates the still-thriving cultures of the Whaling People, who survived the devastating effects of colonial power and influences. It includes a history of treaty making in BC, leading up to the just-ratified Maa-nulth Treaty signed by five First Nations of the Whaling People.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2011

Reviews

[Remus Mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive history and ethnography of the Nootka (Nuu-chah-nulth) people. It is quite valuable as an all-encompassing study, being the only such book about the Nootka readily available to the casual reader. Their history, geography, subsistence, society and beliefs are all covered.
However this book suffers from very bad writing. The awkward sentence structure that abounds throughout the text is hard to ignore. Many topics of the book are left unclear and other sections are even impossible to follow due to lack of context or insufficient explanation. A rewrite and elaboration of the text could make this a magnificent book.

[Ron Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthwhile read for anyone interested in Indigenous cultures of the Northwest Pacific Coast. When I was young, the people of the west coast of Vancouver Island were commonly referred to as “Nootkans.” Later, fifteen tribes came together and chose to identify collectively as the Nuu-chah-nulth. Arima and Hoover broaden their scope to include the whaling peoples of the Pacific coast of the Olympic Peninsula (Washington State, USA), referring to all these communities collectively as “The Whaling People,” divided into Northern, Central, and Southern groups.

For a relatively compact volume, the authors pack in an impressive amount of lore, myth, and detailed descriptions of ceremony and technology. The introductory chapter outlines the various tribal groups included in the study. The next two chapters describe the annual cycle of hunting and gathering, seasonal work patterns, and associated food-related myths.

Another chapter explores village life, including social rank, kinship systems, potlatches, and the life cycle. Chapter Four addresses intertribal warfare, the arrival of Europeans, the sea otter fur trade, colonial expansion, and the imposition of foreign governance structures.

A final chapter examines the spirit world as expressed through medicine, ritual (most notably the Wolf Ritual), art, music, and mythology. Altogether, the book offers as much insight as a non-specialist reader could hope for regarding both the historical and contemporary Whaling Peoples of British Columbia and Washington State. A strong and worthwhile addition to any personal library.

[Leah Vanderwiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, and well laid out! Took me a while to read as it was very information dense. Would have liked the pronunciation guide at the front rather than the back (Page 148)

[Beth Oehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed helpful historical info.