THE LAND

1. THE LAND

2. SHAPE OF THE LAND • many different climates and habitats, but one constant: province of mountains • Coast mtns and Rocky mtns • abundant resources: forests, food plants, minerals, game, and fur-bearing animals • place of water: rivers, lakes, channels and inlet • 4 major river systems: Fraser, Skeena, Columbia, Peace • provide living space, transportation routes and habitat for fish

3. --------------------------------------------------- • land and resources shape the lives of people • mtns create barriers, landmarks, and boundaries • along with watersheds, define territories • adaptations to variations in climate, topography, and resources resulted in variety of societies • half of all First Nations languages are found in BC • relationship with land dictated social organization and governance sys • Interior more flexible governing sys while coast more structured • Interior: democratic, no class sys, family groups, Chief working in consultation with Elders • Coast: strict social codes, rigid hierarchy and class sys

5. REGIONS OF BC

6. 1. The Coast • wet, mild climate creates ideal for temperature rainforest • western red cedar considered a special gift from nature • river estuaries create rich habitat for wildlife and living space for people

7. resources • principal resources – cedar, salmon, oolichan • ocean – deep sea fish, herring, shellfish • plants and berries under the coniferous forest • including medicinal plants • fur bearing mammals and deer • source of food, fur, hides and bones

9. people greatest number of distinct First Nations in Canada (9) development of highly structured societies complex social and artistic customs organized in resource-use units composed of extended families also known as house group each unit had a number of territories providing resources throughout the year some territories/camps shared by families hereditary chief responsible for people and appropriate use of territories and resources some groups aligned in ‘tribes’

10. followed similar seasonal patterns moving from location to location when resources available spring resource camps – oolichan processing summer – salmon camps completed back at winter villages seasonal rounds depended on resources within territories ownership of territories inherited by extended family group principal purpose of potlatch

11. 2. The Southern Interior • varied landscape creates many different habitats • resources • great diversity in plant and animal life • plants used more for food here than any other place in BC • up to half of diet was vegetable • some plant products were important trade • salmon and deer were major animal resources

12. People • most are Interior Salish language • Ktunaxa (Kootenay) speak a language unrelated to any • other in the world • well defined seasonal round for resource gathering • spring – green shoots of plants • June – Saskatoon berries and wild potato • August – salmon • fall – hunting • winter villages built in lowlands beside major rivers and lakes • warmer • pit houses – adapted to land and climate

13. 3. Northeast • area more in common with northern territories and prairies than rest of BC • 3 main landscapes: foothills of Rockies, muskeg of north, prairies of east • rich hunting grounds for large mammals • Resources • arctic rivers = no salmon • some fish – trout, pike • large mammals • greatest density of moose • caribou, elk, grizzly and black bear

14. people • Athapaskan language family • traditionally mobile lives • meat as large part of diet • wide variety of berries harvested

15. 4. Northern Interior • large part of BC and into Yukon • similar to most northern Canada • less diversity of plants and fewer people • mtns, plateaus, some lakes • resources • moose most widespread, some caribou • smaller fur-bearing animals

16. people • adapted to harsh climate and limited resources by being a flexible society • basic social unit = extended family • mobile society ready to hunt, fish, trap