GET WILD ABOUT WOLVES WITH KiiX̣IN TOURS

The coastal wolves of BC are often called “sea wolves” because of their strong land-sea connection. Like my people The Huu-ay-aht, they very much depend on the Ocean resources for its sustenance and abundance. 

In our origin story, the First People of Huu-ay-aht are aptly named after the original life givers the Sun and the Moon. 

Connect to nature and Huu-ay-aht culture on a Kiix̣in Tour

The first man Natch-qo-a (načquʔa) is named “looking out” from his perch in the center of the universe, and the First Woman Ho-min-iki (huminʔiki) “life giver from the moon” is deeply connected to the moon, for the life cycle of a women and lunar cycle are in fact one and the same. 

Companion to life is spirit, and spirit surrounds us. Evidence of spirit is seen in the night sky, for each star represents a paw print of the original spirit that guides the wolf pack.

Even in milestone rituals of our people, the wolf can be found guiding the ceremony. For example, at my Daughter’s Eights-too-ltha (ʕic̓tuuła) or coming of age ceremony that took place earlier this summer, the wolves can be seen escorting and guiding the ceremony, literally guiding the canoe into the House of Huu-ay-aht. 

Experience the richness of Huu-ay-aht culture on a Kiix̣in Tour

They are the core of many ceremonies all throughout life. From birth, to naming, to initiation, coming of age, weddings, and even in death the wolves are evident in all our ceremonies.

They are spirit, they are transformative and even depicted transforming into other creatures such as an eagle or an orca. Spirit knows no bounds—land, or sea or air, spirit is everywhere.

On a Kiix̣in Tour that may look like me, your tour guide Keats (qiic̓qiic̓a), singing a song for howling, or telling some epic tales around wolf lore. 

There are many songs including a feast song that states we are observing the ways of the wolf to gather food. The coastal wolves and the Huu-ay-aht have very similar diets. 

The stories are many, and the songs are many as the wolf is deeply woven into the culture of Huu-ay-aht First Nations.

Soon Huu-ay-aht Homelands will experience an increase of visitors as the road from Port Alberni to Bamfield is chip sealed and moves from a logging road to a smooth path right to Kiix̣in Tours (which makes it home in Bamfield). 

The “wild about wolves” theme is to remind us and our visitors the importance we have to keep these homelands in its present form—a homelands sustainable for Huu-ay-aht and all life, including wolves. 

Because having a healthy human-wolf relationship in the present and into the future is essential for us given our connections to the land.

Tips for promoting healthy human-wolf relations 

While actual wolf sightings are rare, the wolves make their home here too. Here are some tips to respect their presence on these lands: 

• Keep a safe distance. 
• Do not get too close for a photograph. 
• Be mindful of attractants including food or waste. 
• Do not attempt to feed a wolf. 
• What you carry in, you carry out. 
• Pets can be seen as prey (Kiix̣in Tours do not permit pets) but it’s always a good idea to have them leashed and contained in wolf country. 

“For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack,” a sentence by Rudyard Kipling. Qwa-ya-seek Wolf (qʷayac̓iik)

When you Go 

Getting to Bamfield and Kiix̣in Tours
Kiix̣in Tours is located in Bamfield, within Huu-ay-aht First Nations homelands, approximately a 1.5-hour drive from Port Alberni. 

Book your tour
To book your tour, it’s simple, just go here and book it today – do it today given the 2023 tour season closes September 4, 2023.  

Share your adventure
Let us know what you find, use the hashtag #Indigenouscoastbc and #Kiix̣in in your social media posts so we might feature you.