TRIBAL PARKS GUARDIANS

About Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks

Hišukiš čawaak! Everything is one. People have always been a part of this healthy ecosystem. The goal of the Tribal Parks is to enable human inhabitants to live in accordance with Natural Law. We understand environmental sustainability not as a form of management but as the practice of iʔsaak: observing, appreciating, and acting accordingly.

The Tribal Parks are protected by ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ laws, rights, and title. They encompass the largest intact ancient rainforests remaining on Vancouver Island and the resort municipality of Tofino, B. C.

There are four declared Tribal Parks in Tla-o-qui-aht territory:

Modern Park Management Based on Traditional Teachings

The ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ People have cultivated a rich and abundant Haḥuułi through relational practices within the ecosystems to which we belong over a vast amount of time. Over the course of our history, the roles of our caretakers have adapted – sometimes dramatically – in response to great changes in our midst. What have not changed are the principles of ʔiisaak, Natural Law, and generosity that have always guided our People’s actions. Most recently, our Guardians and caretakers have adapted to welcome newcomers into our communities and protect our Ancestral Gardens against unwanted exploitation and degradation. A critical piece of that learning journey was the designation of our first Tribal Park, Wanačas Hiłhuuʔis in 1984, when our Nation, with the support of our Indigenous and Settler Allies, stopped the proposed clear-cut logging of Wanačas Hiłhuuʔis (Meares Island).

Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park Guardians

Guardians and caretakers have existed here for many generations, upholding a wide array of specific responsibilities to specific species and areas within what are now known as the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks. The modern Tribal Parks Guardian Program was established to help implement the land vision laid out in the 2008 Tribal Park Declaration. That year, the Tribal Parks designation was extended to include the Ha’uukmin Tribal Park. In 2014 it was extended again to encompass all of Tla-o-qui-aht Ha’huulthii.

Our Guardians work independently and in partnership with other organizations in the region to protect Qwa siin hap areas (which remain ecologically intact) and to restore uuya thluk nish areas (which have been degraded by misuse).

Our Guardians are involved in the restoration of rivers degraded by unsustainable logging practices, the revitalization of salmon habitat, the remediation of sensitive dune-grass habitats, environmental monitoring, beach and back-road cleanup and patrols, derelict vessel and marine debris removal and recycling, invasive species control, trail maintenance and development, and other vital projects in the region.