Lake Cowichan First Nation
The Lake Cowichan First Nation government and reserve is located in Lake Cowichan, British Columbia. The Lake Cowichan First Nation, while its own distinct group, is closely linked to the peoples of the Cowichan Tribes band government, and is part of the Hul'qumi'num linguistic group
There are over 15 registered tribal members.[1]
History
Early settlers to the Lake Cowichan area described "a small tribe of Indians" living in "houses constructed of bark." During the 19th Century the Lake Cowichan First Nation was decimated by disease and conflict with neighboring groups. In 1887 the surveyor Ashdown Green reported that the Lake Cowichan people had once been a large tribe but had been nearly wiped out by war with the neighboring Cowichan Tribes and Ditidahts. In 1860, a prospetor by the name of Samuel Harris travelled to the area seeking minerals and reported that many of the Natives were dead and dying from smallpox. Archaeological investigations have revealed the historic presence of a village on the north east side of the lake, within the boundaries of the present day Cowichan Lake Indian Reserve.[2]