map-bg

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 Forestry

Robert Filberg

Bob Filberg Painted Portrait

Role: President of Comox Logging and Railway Company

Date of birth: 13 Jun 1892

Date of death: 29 Mar 1977

Age at death: 87

Robert Filberg was born in Colorado, USA in 1892, to Adolf and Elizabeth (nee Degnan) Filberg. After his father's death in Alaska, he was left to provide for himself and his mother. In 1909 he moved to the Comox Valley as a surveyor's assistant. He returned to the United States to study engineering in Seattle, and by 1919 was the superintendent of the Comox Logging and Railway Company, and later its president. Filberg was known for his "home guard policy" and safety improvement in the logging camps.
He married Florence McCormack in 1916, and they had two children, Mary and Robert Jr. Filberg.

Robert Filberg is featured in the following content: