Today, Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Parks Canada celebrated the installation of a plaque at
Huu-ay‑aht First Nations' Kiix̣in Village and Fortress (Kiix̣in) to officially commemorate the designation of Kiix̣in as a National Historic Site of Canada.
Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Kiix̣in is the site of a 19th-century village and fortress that exhibits evidence of continuous occupation of the area for almost 3,000 years, dating back to 1000 BCE. It is also the only known traditional First Nation's village of more than 100 villages on the southern British Columbia coast that still features significant, standing traditional architecture. The site's natural features made it an ideal location for occupation and defense. It is characteristic of Nuu-chah-nulth defensive sites and warfare patterns, resource extraction and commercial practices, and illustrates changing Nuu-chah-nulth political and economic patterns in the 18th and 19th centuries. To this day, it remains a sacred site to Huu-ay-aht First Nations people.
In 1999, the Government of Canada designated Kiix̣in as a national historic site, with the official recognition referring to four distinct archaeological sites, which include the main village and fortress and two related archaeological sites. In 2002, a commemorative plaque was presented to Huu-ay-aht First Nations by Parks Canada, and today, both parties came together to reveal the plaque which has now been installed on a beautifully carved cedar frame at the Kiix̣in Village and Fortress for visitors and locals to enjoy.
Huu-ay-aht First Nations has three Sacred Principles: ʔiisaak (Greater Respect), Hišuk ma c̓awak (Everything is One), and ʔuuʔałuk (Taking Care Of). Since declaring Kiix̣in a national historic site in 1999, these sacred principles, as they pertain to the land, Huu-ay-aht's Ḥahuułi (traditional territory), have been upheld, protected and valued, and efforts will be made to continue honouring these principles for years to come.
