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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.

Person
Mining

James Walker

Role: Mechanic

Year of birth: 1877

Date of death: 09 Feb 1935

Cause of death: Struck by trip

Age at death: 58

James Walker was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1877. He immigrated to Canada in 1901, and in 1905 he married his wife Nellie (nee Somerville). Together they lived at 2732 Maryport and had two children, William and Mary. A mechanic at the No. 4 mine in Cumberland, James was working on January 28th, 1935, when a trip of 5 coal cars came loose and struck him. His leg had to be amputated. However, his injuries proved too severe and he died a week later on February 9th. He was buried in the Cumberland cemetery in block 3-133. Nellie, his wife, continued to live at 2732 Maryport after James' death until 1977.