Preparing to Go

ʔi:mot tətᶿ kʷənome It’s good to see you! 

 

Welcome to the traditional Klahoose Nation territory, which extends from Yekwamen (yɛkʷamɛn) or Toba Inlet to the northern islands of the Salish Sea and Desolation Sound. Our resort lies within the territory of the Klahoose Nation and in proximity to its sister Nations: the Homalco, Kwakiutl, and Tla’amin. Our Nation’s permanent community resides in Squirrel Cove, on Cortes Island.  
Your comfort is important to us. We aim to provide a service standard that reflects our natural, authentic ways, and to offer our guests a memorable experience. We believe that we are only one aspect in the great diversity of life on the land. Since time immemorial, we have used formal protocol to acknowledge our surroundings, which was meant to honour our spiritual beliefs. This acknowledgment includes thanks to our waters, ancestors, animals, and plant life, all of which are considered to be alive and therefore having a “spirit.” Our ancestors knew and believed that everything in nature is connected, that nothing can exist in the environment for, or by itself, as everyone and everything depends on one other.  

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ɬayiščxʷ.You go ashore.

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Traditional Welcome and Being a Respectful Guest

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So, what exactly is a traditional Klahoose welcome? As toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose) people, who come from the coastal regions, our traditional way of getting around is by canoe or boat. When we travel to new lands, we introduce ourselves, openly state our intentions, and ask permission to come ashore. And when we are the host, our job is to protect our community, our lands, nature, and as human beings, show a deep respect.

 

When you arrive at Klahoose Wilderness Resort you are guests and are invited to come ashore. Once you have this invitation, we treat each guest with warmth and kindness, making sure they're well-fed and taken care of.  We let you know what's expected of them during their stay. In this case we remind you that all stories, images, place names and language are more than just content and information, they're incredible valuable to our people, either belonging to the cultural interpreter and their community of the qaymɩxʷ community. As our guests, we invite you to take a moment and think about why you are visiting the Klahoose territory and understand and willing to respect the sacred principles of the traditional welcome, storytelling and qaymɩxʷ protocol. 

We are honoured to welcome you to our home. 

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Thank you ~ č̓ɛč̓ɛhaθɛč

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