THE LAND

SHAPE OF THE LAND

• many different climates and habitats, but one constant: province of mountains– Coast mtns and Rocky mtns– abundant resources: forests, food plants,

minerals, game, and fur-bearing animals• place of water: rivers, lakes, channels and inlet– 4 major river systems: Fraser, Skeena,

Columbia, Peace– provide living space, transportation routes and

habitat for fish

• land and resources shape the lives of people– mtns create barriers, landmarks, and boundaries– along with watersheds, define territories– adaptations to variations in climate, topography,

and resources resulted in variety of societies• half of all First Nations languages are found in BC• relationship with land dictated social

organization and governance sys– Interior more flexible governing sys while

coast more structured– Interior: democratic, no class sys, family

groups, Chief working in consultation with Elders

– Coast: strict social codes, rigid hierarchy and class sys

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REGIONS OF BC

1. The Coast• wet, mild climate

creates ideal for temperature rainforest– western red cedar

considered a special gift from nature

– river estuaries create rich habitat for wildlife and living space for people

• resources– principal resources –

cedar, salmon, oolichan– ocean – deep sea fish,

herring, shellfish– plants and berries

under the coniferous forest• including medicinal

plants– fur bearing mammals

and deer• source of food, fur,

hides and bones

• peopleo greatest number of distinct First Nations in Canada (9)o development of highly structured societies

complex social and artistic customsorganized in resource-use units

•composed of extended families•also known as house group•each unit had a number of territories providing resources throughout the year•some territories/camps shared by families

hereditary chief responsible for people and appropriate use of territories and resources some groups aligned in ‘tribes’

o followed similar seasonal patterns moving from location to location when resources available

spring resource camps – oolichan processingsummer – salmon campscompleted back at winter villagesseasonal rounds depended on resources within territoriesownership of territories inherited by extended family group

•principal purpose of potlatch

2. The Southern Interior• varied landscape creates

many different habitats• resources

o great diversity in plant and animal life

o plants used more for food here than any other place in BC

up to half of diet was vegetable

o some plant products were important trade

o salmon and deer were major animal resources

Peopleo most are Interior Salish languageo Ktunaxa (Kootenay) speak a language unrelated to any

other in the worldo well defined seasonal round for resource gathering

spring – green shoots of plants June – Saskatoon berries and wild potato August – salmon fall – hunting

o winter villages built in lowlands beside major rivers and lakes warmer pit houses – adapted to land and climate

3. Northeast• area more in common with

northern territories and prairies than rest of BC

• 3 main landscapes: foothills of Rockies, muskeg of north, prairies of east

• rich hunting grounds for large mammals

• Resourceso arctic rivers = no salmono some fish – trout, pikeo large mammals

greatest density of moose caribou, elk, grizzly and

black bear

• peopleo Athapaskan language familyo traditionally mobile lives

meat as large part of diet wide variety of berries harvested

4. Northern Interior• large part of BC and into

Yukon• similar to most northern

Canada• less diversity of plants and

fewer people• mtns, plateaus, some lakes• resources

o moose most widespread, some caribou

o smaller fur-bearing animals

•peopleo adapted to harsh climate and limited resources by being a flexible

societyo basic social unit = extended familyo mobile society ready to hunt, fish, trap