 Totem pole at the Namgis Burial Grounds, Carol Clemens photo
Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation Today the Kwakwaka'wakw constitute a significant minority in the region and majority in many smaller communities. They imbue the area with a rich cultural heritage and compelling history sure to capture the traveller's imagination.
European Settlers History picked up again in the 1930s, as loggers arrived to fell the endless forest and give birth to a town. By the 1960s, the population had risen to 400, new businesses were afoot and a sense of community had begun to take shape. The new town was named after Captain Henry McNeill of the Hudson Bay Company's SS Beaver, the first steamship on the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Modern McNeill Modern "McNeillers"- fewer than 3,000 - are loggers, fishermen, outfitters, artists, photographers, sculptors, storekeepers, cooks, teachers - as colorful a cast of characters as a wilderness can muster. The pioneering spirit lingers. Theirs is a resilient, outgoing town. Sense of community runs large and deep.
Port McNeill Heritage Museum  The Port McNeill Heritage Museum is the place to tap into the trappings of the logging era. Financed through local donations and installed in a fine log building, it's the pride of the town. Artifacts from a private collection donated to the museum include a Grand Jewel wood stove, cider press, antique typewriters - remember typewriters? - historic photographs, vintage phonographs, snow shoes and a 1904 Humber Motor Bike. Build in time for nostalgia.
Orca Fest Port McNeill's annual festival is Orca Fest, every mid-August, with fun run, parade, races, competitions, arts, crafts and potluck dinner.
Accessing Aboriginal Culture Catch the 40-minute ferry ride to Alert Bay and plan to spend a day at the remarkable U'Mista Cultural Centre and Museum. Discover the Native tradition of potlatch and view the Potlatch Collection, a stunning collection of ceremonial masks and regalia once outlawed in this country. A visit to the "Big House" brings exhilarating First Nations drumming and dancing. And no stay in Alert Bay is complete without a stroll to the local cemetery to see and photograph its artful funerary totems. For additional information, ferry schedule and maps, check with the Port McNeill Visitor Centre at 1594 Beach Drive.
|