For over a century, the Tlowitsis have been separated from one another – through the residential school system, the displacement of our people from our traditional territories, and an oppressive Indian Act that made it difficult for our people to prosper, to keep our language alive, and to create opportunities for our children.
Our search for a place to create a new home began over 40 years ago. Over the years, we’ve received support from Tlowitsis citizens through surveys, meetings with our membership, the Treaty Advisory Group, the Elders, and Chief and Council.
The search for a new home is now over.
In the spring of 2018, the Tlowitsis finalized the purchase of a 635-acre property in the Strathcona Regional District, just a few minutes south of Campbell River on Highway 19A.
It is here that we will be establishing a new village for our citizens, known as Nenagwas, or “a place to come home to.”
For us, Nenagwas means a new beginning for our people. After centuries of loss, oppression and a systematic attack on our basic human rights, the treaty will give us the opportunity to come together as a people once again – governing ourselves, making decisions about our land, people and culture as a community and as a nation.
For us, Nenagwas is an opportunity for the Tlowitsis to reconnect and revive elements of our culture – and first and foremost, our language. It’s a historic opportunity for the Tlowitsis to know who we are again. With Nenagwas, we have a chance to create a new future for our citizens.
Learn more about our plans for Nenagwas and how you can stay up to date.