The Lekwungen or Lekungen nation (natively lək̓ʷəŋən , often called the Songhees or Songish by non-Lekwungens) are an Indigenous North American Coast Salish people who reside on southeastern Vancouver Island , British Columbia in the Greater Victoria area. Their government is Songhees First Nation , a member of the Te'mexw Treaty Association and the Naut'sa Mawt Tribal Council . Their traditional language is Lekwungen, a dialect of the North Straits Salish language .
25-632: There is evidence of a fortified village existing at Finlayson Point in Beacon Hill Park before the arrival of Europeans in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Before European contact much of the government was through a clan system , with twelve clans which each had its own fishing and hunting territory. Chiefship was hereditary in the male line and there were three castes - nobles, commons, and slaves. Like other north-west coast tribes they practiced potlatch and ceremonial gift distribution. The dead were buried in canoes or boxes upon
50-514: A great deal of the native flora has been preserved. Garry oak , arbutus , Douglas-fir , western redcedar , camas , trillium , snowberry , Oregon grape , and fawn lily still remain in the park, as well as the threatened Yellow Montane Violet . Peacocks and squirrels are present throughout the park, and occasionally raccoons and river otters can be seen. The ponds in the park are noted for their swans , turtles , ducks , Canada geese , and blue herons . Commonly seen duck species in
75-465: A hill located at the park's southern end. The traditional name of the hill is míqәn (pronounced "MEE-qan", sometimes spelled Meegan or Meeacan ) to the Songhees people, meaning "warmed by the sun". míqәn (Beacon Hill) was a popular location for local indigenous peoples to rest and play games, and where camas and great camas bulbs were harvested. At the base of the hill was the location of
100-630: A settlement periodically occupied from approximately 1000 to 300 years prior to present-day. The hill is culturally significant, having been a burial site for the First Nations Coast Salish people , who are the original inhabitants of the Greater Victoria region. The land ultimately made into the park was set aside as a protected area by Sir James Douglas , governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1858. In 1882,
125-496: A single cedar tree by Kwakwaka'wakw craftsman Chief Mungo Martin , his son David, and Henry Hunt . When erected in 1956 it was the tallest totem pole in the world. The pole has been repaired a number of times and was lowered from 2000-2001 for a significant restoration. The pebble bridge over the stream between Goodacre and Fountain Lake is a tribute to renowned BC artist Emily Carr , erected by her sister Alice Carr in 1945. In
150-459: A treaty with the Songhees in 1850. Much of the traditional territory of the Songhees now forms the core of the urbanized area of Victoria and surrounding municipalities. The development of British Columbia's capital city caused considerable disruption to the Songhees' traditional economy and livelihood. Recently the Songhees considered that the government of British Columbia had failed to honour
175-403: A treaty with the Songhees in 1850. Much of the traditional territory of the Songhees now forms the core of the urbanized area of Victoria and surrounding municipalities. The development of British Columbia's capital city caused considerable disruption to the Songhees' traditional economy and livelihood. Recently the Songhees considered that the government of British Columbia had failed to honour
200-464: Is a 75 ha (183 acre) park located along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, British Columbia . The park is popular both with tourists and locals, and contains a number of amenities including woodland and shoreline trails, two playgrounds, a waterpark, playing fields, a petting zoo, tennis and pickleball courts, many ponds, and landscaped gardens. The name of the park refers to Beacon Hill,
225-611: Is estimated that the village's peak population was around 10,000 people. Sitchanalth was destroyed by a tsunami related to a major earthquake along the Devils Mountain Fault that occurred around 930 A.D. The death toll from the earthquake and resulting tsunami have been described as "catastrophic" with a small group of survivors relocating from Willows Beach to what is now the Inner Harbour area of Victoria, British Columbia . A cairn at Willows Beach marks
250-471: Is estimated that the village's peak population was around 10,000 people. Sitchanalth was destroyed by a tsunami related to a major earthquake along the Devils Mountain Fault that occurred around 930 A.D. The death toll from the earthquake and resulting tsunami have been described as "catastrophic" with a small group of survivors relocating from Willows Beach to what is now the Inner Harbour area of Victoria, British Columbia . A cairn at Willows Beach marks
275-560: Is evidence of a fortified village existing at Finlayson Point in Beacon Hill Park before the arrival of Europeans in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Before European contact much of the government was through a clan system , with twelve clans which each had its own fishing and hunting territory. Chiefship was hereditary in the male line and there were three castes - nobles, commons, and slaves. Like other north-west coast tribes they practiced potlatch and ceremonial gift distribution. The dead were buried in canoes or boxes upon
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#1732772927870300-599: The Songhees or Songish by non-Lekwungens) are an Indigenous North American Coast Salish people who reside on southeastern Vancouver Island , British Columbia in the Greater Victoria area. Their government is Songhees First Nation , a member of the Te'mexw Treaty Association and the Naut'sa Mawt Tribal Council . Their traditional language is Lekwungen, a dialect of the North Straits Salish language . There
325-526: The 1850 treaty and commenced a legal action against the province and the Government of Canada for redress. A settlement of the action was announced in November 2006 by Songhees Chief Robert Sam, the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Jim Prentice , and the provincial Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Mike de Jong. Beacon Hill Park Beacon Hill Park
350-598: The Songhees were largely spared due to smallpox vaccines given by Hudson's Bay Company physician Dr. John Helmcken, as well as Songhees self-quarantining themselves on Discovery Island . Due to these things the Songhees survived the epidemic with few deaths. The Songhees were one of the few First Nations in BC to have a treaty with the British. Sir James Douglas , governor of the Vancouver Island colony , negotiated
375-427: The Songhees were largely spared due to smallpox vaccines given by Hudson's Bay Company physician Dr. John Helmcken, as well as Songhees self-quarantining themselves on Discovery Island . Due to these things the Songhees survived the epidemic with few deaths. The Songhees were one of the few First Nations in BC to have a treaty with the British. Sir James Douglas , governor of the Vancouver Island colony , negotiated
400-702: The fort. The village was subsequently moved across Victoria Harbour in what is now the Victoria West neighbourhood. The village was subsequently moved and a reserve established adjacent to what is now the municipality of View Royal . A traditional blessing in Lekwungen appears on a mural on the Ogden Point breakwater. During the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic , which killed about two-thirds of all native people in British Columbia,
425-454: The fort. The village was subsequently moved across Victoria Harbour in what is now the Victoria West neighbourhood. The village was subsequently moved and a reserve established adjacent to what is now the municipality of View Royal . A traditional blessing in Lekwungen appears on a mural on the Ogden Point breakwater. During the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic , which killed about two-thirds of all native people in British Columbia,
450-597: The land was officially made a municipal park of the City of Victoria, and given its present name. The name was derived from the hill at the southern end of the park, which had also been used to host navigational beacons. It provides scenic vistas of the Strait and the Olympic Mountains of Washington . Although much of the park has been landscaped into gardens and playing fields, and populated with various structures,
475-543: The middle of the park, the Cameron Bandshell, otherwise known as "The Stage", is the site of concerts from June through September. "Mile 0" of the Trans-Canada Highway is at the south-west corner of the park, along with the old Beacon Lodge and the famous Beacon Drive-In . The park has numerous gardens, meadows, viewpoints, and trails. There is an off-leash dog area at the southern end of
500-457: The park include common mallard , American wigeon , Eurasian wigeon , Hooded merganser and Bufflehead . Many other bird species can be seen in the park including the Anna's hummingbird , Bald eagle , Red-breasted nuthatch and Common raven . The park is notable for a few human-made features. Most prominent is the world's fourth-tallest totem pole , a 38.8-metre (127 ft) work carved from
525-521: The park. The park also hosts numerous sports fields, including facilities for lawn bowling , cricket , baseball , tennis , and pickleball . There are two playgrounds and a number of public washrooms. The park is a popular location for picnics, relaxing, cycling and recreating and in the summer has a petting zoo. 48°24′43″N 123°21′50″W / 48.412°N 123.364°W / 48.412; -123.364 Songhees The Lekwungen or Lekungen nation (natively lək̓ʷəŋən , often called
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#1732772927870550-411: The spot where the ancient settlement once stood. The Songhees' traditional foods included salmon, shellfish, whale, deer, duck, berries, camas root , and herbs. The Songhees population was estimated to be 8,500 in 1859, but by 1914 the population had decreased to less than 200. At the time of the establishment of Fort Victoria by the British in 1843, a Songhees village was situated adjacent to
575-408: The spot where the ancient settlement once stood. The Songhees' traditional foods included salmon, shellfish, whale, deer, duck, berries, camas root , and herbs. The Songhees population was estimated to be 8,500 in 1859, but by 1914 the population had decreased to less than 200. At the time of the establishment of Fort Victoria by the British in 1843, a Songhees village was situated adjacent to
600-455: The surface of the ground, or laid away in trees. Mentioning the names of a dead person was taboo . The Coast Salish traditionally lived in bighouses , large rectangular communal houses of cedar planks, adorned with carved and jointed totem posts. A major Coast Salish seaport community called Sitchanalth was located in the area now known as Willows Beach in Oak Bay , British Columbia. It
625-400: The surface of the ground, or laid away in trees. Mentioning the names of a dead person was taboo . The Coast Salish traditionally lived in bighouses , large rectangular communal houses of cedar planks, adorned with carved and jointed totem posts. A major Coast Salish seaport community called Sitchanalth was located in the area now known as Willows Beach in Oak Bay , British Columbia. It
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