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Land, Indigenous peoples, settlers, and today’s communities.

Since time immemorial, Ancestors of the people called K’ómoks today consisting of the Pentlatch, Ieeksan (eye-ick-sun), Sasitla (sa-seet-la), Xa’xe (ha-hey) and Sathloot (sath-loot) people have been the caretakers of this land, which they called the “Land of Plenty.” This Land of Plenty stretched from what is known today as Kelsey Bay in the north, down to Hornby and Denman Island in the south, and included the watershed and estuary of the Puntledge River, also acknowledging that these boundaries and place names are colonial constructs.

The K’ómoks First Nation refer to the lands between the bays of Comox and the Beaufort mountain range as the path between, it was a travel and trade route to the Alberni corridor and a connection to the indigenous communities on the western side of the island.

Land agreements included the 1884 Settlement Act stripped these lands for its caretakers. At the Museum we acknowledge that we are a colonial created institution, and I would like to thank Charlene Everson, Emily Shopland and Violet Williams for guiding the museum in early discussion on what reconciliation could mean for our organization and how we could create actionable steps; in maintaining a positive dialogue with a forward focus, sharing contemporary K’omoks narratives, and incorporating First Nation languages where they felt it appropriate. Their time and guidance helped us gain insight and learn how to best support their voice in our museum’s walls. This is an ongoing process and we have so much more to learn.

Collection Item
Mining

Topographic map of the Cumberland Mines

Type:

History

Cumberland exploited four seams, part of the same geological formation that ran deep underneath the village. The upper coal seam workings are shown in blue and the lower coal seam workings in red. The footprint of the different settlements can be seen on the center-right side of the map.

Description

This topographic map shows geological features in the Cumberland Mines area.
The upper coal seam workings are shown in blue and the lower coal seam workings in red. The footprint of the different settlements can be seen on the center-right side of the map.
This very large map is heavy paper backed by linen. "KEUFFEL & ESSAR CO. [jaraaom?] GERMANY PAT U.S. PAT OFF" is water marked on the bottom and top edges of the map The title box is in the lower right corner, "CANADIAN COLLIERIES (DUNSMUIR) LTD. / COMOX DISTRICT / PLAN / SHOWING TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES IN THE / VICINITY OF COMOX MINES / SCALE 1 IN = 400 FT / NOTE / UPPER COAL SEAM WORKINGS SHOW IN BLUE / LOWER COAL SEAM WORKINGS SHOWN IN RED" printed.
"CUMBERLAND FIELD / 1 " = 400' / CUMBERLAND TO BROWNS R. / BASED ON BEVAN MONS' / SH3V # 4" hand written in each of the four corners on the reverse side.

Item Details

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