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

Japanese CommunityBusinesses

Senjiro Hayashi

Role: Photographer

Year of birth: 1880

Year of birth: 1935

Age at death: 56

Senjiro Hayashi was a photographer who ran the Hayashi Studios in Willard Block. Using the glass plate negative method and his own equipment, Senjiro captured portraits of Cumberland's Japanese and Chinese communities. Born in Japan, he came to Canada between 1903-1904 for work, and to Cumberland in 1911. He ran the studio until 1919.

Connected people:

Tokitaro Takeshima Matsubichi

1890 - 1974

Photographer and business owner

Person

Ken Hayashi

1904 - 1993

Person

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

Connected people:

Tokitaro Takeshima Matsubichi

Ken Hayashi

Senjiro Hayashi is featured in the following content:

The Hayashi Studio

Portrait of Senjiro Hayashi

Interior of Hayashi Studio