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.

Person

Chinese CommunityBusinesses

Gang Leung

Role: Businessman

Year of birth: 1889

Year of birth: 1960

Age at death: 71

Leung Gang immigrated to Canada in 1914, from Canton, China. He arrived in Cumberland in 1918 to originally to work in the mines, but he left mining after an injury and opened a market garden and grocery store. He and his family (wife Annie, who was born in Cumberland, and their children, John, Norman, Cyril, and Joyce) ran Leung's Grocery and the Lily Garden Restaurant. Leung Gang died 1960 at 71 and Annie in 1992 at 87.

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

Gang Leung

Gang Leung is featured in the following content:

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

Gang Leung is featured in the following content:

Photo of Gang (Yick Yee) and Annie (Lin Oi Low) Leung in Courtenay parade

Photo of Cumberland Leung’s Grocery, with May and Joyce Leung

Leung Gang Co. store front in Cumberland B.C.

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