K'omoks

This article is about the ethnographic group. For other uses, see Comox (disambiguation).

K'omok People

200px Map showing traditional territory of the Island Comox; Mainland Comox not shown
Total population
(850 (1983))
Regions with significant populations
Canada (British Columbia)
Languages
English, Comox
Religion
Christianity, native
Related ethnic groups
Coast Salish peoples

The K’omoks or K'ómoks, usually known in English as the Comox people, are an indigenous group of Coast Salishan-speaking people in Comox, British Columbia and in Toba Inlet and the Malaspina Peninsula areas of the British Columbia mainland across Georgia Strait. They historically spoke the Komox language (Comox-Sliammon), and were divided in two main dialect and tribal groupings, which are known by academics as Island Comox and Mainland Comox.

The Island Comox of Vancouver Island now centered in the area of Courtenay-Comox, were historically the greatest and most powerful K’omoks group; both - K’omoks together with the neighboring Pentlatch (Puntletch / Puntledge) - were referring in their original language to their cultural collective as Sathloot, known to the Mainland Comox as the θaɬaθtuxʷ. After being conquered and politically dominated by southward moving warring Laich-kwil-tach (Ligwiłda'xw) (sometimes known as ″Southern Kwakiutl″) they refer today in their adopted Lik'wala / Lekwala / Liq̓ʷalaa dialect of Kwak'wala to themselves as K’omoks (Kwak'wala-name: kw’umuxws - ″plentiful″). Today the Island Comox have close political and family ties to the Weiwaikum (Wiwēkam) of the Campbell River Band located in and around the city of Campbell River (Wiwek̓a̱m) on the east coast of Vancouver Island, to the Weiwaikai (Wēqay̓i-Wiwēqay̓i) of the Cape Mudge Indian Band (We Wai Kai Nation) on Q­ra Island, and to the Walitsima / Walitsum Band of Salmon River (also called Hahamatses or Salmon River Band), who now occupy territories that were formerly Sathloot (K’omoks and Pentlatch). Many of these Laich-kwil-tach Bands are of Sathloot descent (sometimes the Walitsima / Walitsum Band are considered ethnically K'omoks, which only have adopted the culture and language of Laich-kwil-tach). Today the originally languages of both Sathloot groups are extinct: the Island Comox dialect or Qʼómox̣ʷs (Salhulhtxw / Saɬuɬtxʷ) and the Puntletch / Puntledge (Pənƛ̕áč) language (or dialect ?) are dropped in favor for the Lik'wala dialect and later for English.

Those across the strait are known by academics as the Mainland Comox and are formed today of three groups (which where once one tribe sharing neighboring territories and fishing sides together):

• The Sliammon (Tla'amin or ɬaʔəmen)
• The Klahoose (ƛohos means «sculpin fish»)
• The Homalco (Xwemalhkwu or Xoχmaɬku)

Governments

Modern-day K'omoks are organized in four band governments (by other listings five):

• K'ómoks First Nation (Vancouver Island, ethnically mostly K'ómoks but cultural and by language Laich-kwil-tach)
• Tla A'min Nation (Powell River/Malaspina Peninsula)
• Klahoose First Nation (Discovery Islands)
• Homalco First Nation (Toba Inlet)
• Qualicum First Nation (in Qualicum Bay on Vancouver Island, representing people of Pentlatch descent together with some Laich-kwil-tach)

Culture

The K'omoks First Nation Aboriginals were the original settlers of the Comox Valley. They occupied the valley for thousands of years, leaving behind the Great Comox Midden, buried strata of discarded sea shells, testifying to a love of shellfish that still prevails on the coast.

The K'omoks peoples knew the European traders who explored their shores in search of sea otter pelts. Buccaneering Sir Francis Drake likely dropped by on his secret expedition in 1579. The equally intrepid explorer Captain James Cook circumnavigated Vancouver Island in 1778. Both English and Spanish ships explored and exploited the coast thereafter.

Language

Main article: Comox language