Place Names
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Tla’amin Nation territory was a vast and heavily populated region with a large number of permanent and seasonal occupation sites and settlements. Between 2016 and 2018 the Powell River Historical Museum & Archives partnered with the Tla'amin Nation to document, map, and develop a database of these sites. This project resulted in the recording of traditional place names, their meaning, history of use, and contemporary place names.
ƛaʔamɛn (Klah ah men)
Meaning: a place of refuge
Lund
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qayɛ qʷən (Qaye qwun)
Meaning: fresh water spring
Savary Island
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ʔahʔǰumɩχʷ (Ah joo miexw)
Meaning: flat clear ground
Willingdon Beach
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First Nations History
The Tla’amin Nation is one of several Coast Salish cultures inhabiting the area surrounding the Georgia Strait. Traditional Tla’amin lands included the area on the North Sunshine Coast from Stillwater (Lang Bay), north to the Malaspina Peninsula, and the islands of Cortes, Savary, Hernando, Harwood and the northern half of Texada.
Communities
The qathet Regional District is composed of many diverse communities, with their own unique histories. Texada Island and Lund were some of the first European settlements in the region. In the early 1900's, with the construction of a Pulp and Paper Mill, many also settled in what is now known as the City of Powell River. Prior to amalgamation in 1955, this area was composed of incorporated villages; Cranberry, Townsite, Wildwood, and Westview.
