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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
Industrialization Mining

Robert Dunsmuir

Portrait of Robert Dunsmuir

Role: Coal baron and MLA

Date of birth: 31 Aug 1825

Date of death: 12 Apr 1889

Cause of death: Kidney disease

Age at death: 63

Robert Dunsmuir founded and owned what was one the largest coal mining business on Vancouver Island, R. Dunsmuir & Sons.
Dunsmuir was born in Scotland on August 31st, 1825, and came to Canada and moved to Nanaimo in 1853 with his wife (Joanna Oliver White) and children. After working as a contract miner, Dunsmuir staked his own coal claim and formed Dunsmuir, Diggle & Company in 1870. He would later pay out his business partner and the company became R. Dunsmuir & Sons in 1883.
In addition to his coal mining industry, Robert Dunsmuir was also a key stakeholder in the E & N Railway, and was the MLA for Nanaimo from 1882-1886.

Robert Dunsmuir is featured in the following content: