Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ – Ucluelet First Nation

Ucluelet means ‘People of the Safe Harbour’ in the Nuu-chah-nulth language. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation, who have lived on the Ucluth Peninsula for over 10,000 years, speak the tukʷaaʔatḥ (Barkley West) dialect—one of several spoken by 14 Nuu-chah-nulth Nations on Vancouver Island.

The Ucluth Peninsula is the traditional territory of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ – Ucluelet First Nation, commonly known as Ucluelet, and maintains significant ancestral importance. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ have been caretakers and stewards of this land since time immemorial. The land and ocean provided food and supported livelihood through historic village sites located along the Peninsula.

A significant cultural teaching in Nuu-chah-nulth is ‘cawaaksamin’ (pronounced tsa-wok-saa-min) or ‘We are all one.’ As Tourism Ucluelet builds relations and strengthens its path towards reconciliation, it is important to acknowledge the organization, tourism operations, nor Ucluelet as known today, would exist without the meaningful, traditional ways of life of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ.

We encourage all visitors to reflect on the natural and authentic connection between people and the land on which they walk. Take a moment to acknowledge those who walked and cared for this land since time immemorial, and remembering, land was never owned, we were a part of it. As the guiding principle of cawaaksamin is taught.

Photo by Mark Penney

The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government – Ucluelet First Nation is a self-governing, modern treaty nation located in hitacu. There are approximately 700 Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ citizens, many residing in hitacu with urban citizens throughout Vancouver Island, Canada and the United States. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government jurisdiction extends over nearly 5,500 hectares of Treaty Settlement Land surrounding the community of hitacu, up the Effingham Inlet, along the Nahmint River, and North of Ucluelet including within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ is part of the Maa-nulth First Nations, which is comprised of Huu-ay-aht First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’, Toquaht Nation, and Uchucklesaht Tribe.

The Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement came into effect on April 1, 2011. This agreement was negotiated between Canada, British Columbia under the B.C. treaty process. Treaties enable Indigenous peoples to rebuild their communities and nations on their own terms, governed by their own laws, working in tandem with the provincial and federal governments.

The Maa-nulth First Nations are part of the nuučaanuł (Nuu-chah-nulth) people and have Act, giving authority over lands cultural preservation, exercising treaty rights, and government operation. Recommendations: ancestral roots along west coast of Vancouver Island that date back more than 10,000 years.

“Maa-nulth” means “villages along the coast” in the nuučaanuł language.

Hitacu at Sunset – Melody Charlie

Totem at South Beach Pacific Rim National Park Reserve – George Fifield

Small white carving – Art Cootes

Download a High Res Map(PDF)

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ – Ucluelet First Nation

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