Ucluelet First Nation

The Ucluelet First Nation, also known as the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Yuu-thlu-ilth-aht) is the First Nations treaty government of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island on the northwest side of Barkley Sound.

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ's main village is located at Hitacu (Hit-tat-soo), across the bay from the town of Ucluelet (You-clue-let). The Nation’s territory is located at the northern gateway to Barkley Sound with open access to the Pacific Ocean. Being a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and the Maa-nulth First Nation Treaty Society, the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ is currently organizing around a post-treaty environment, and actively pursuing social and economic development (visit: www.ucluth.ca). The following introduction to the community is posted on the Nation’s website (www.ufn.ca), one of the most comprehensive and well-maintained community websites in the region.

Today, the community lives reasonably within their means. With a downturn of the major forestry industry, shortage of work in the fishing industry and closure of on-shore local processing plants, many members of the community are now employed in the rapidly growing tourism industry, while others are upgrading their education or gaining employment with smaller forestry companies.

Housing in the Hitacu community has been revived with the Grand Opening of six units in 2006, six units in 2007 and many more to come for the 2008 New Housing Year. The goal of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ is to continue with the planning and development of the new subdivision or Official Community Plan (OCP), which will provide more housing units and community centres for the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ.

The children/youths (Kindergarten through Grade 12) commute to school by bus to the town of Ucluelet where they attend either Ucluelet Elementary School or Ucluelet Secondary School. On reserve educational programs are offered through the Ittatsoo Learning Centre, where students have the opportunity to upgrade through long distance education; or the Ittatsoo Preschool Daycare where a Head Start Program is delivered. During the summer, children/youth join a summer day camp where they participate in many different activities that offer them experience and encourages exercise.

The summer season is a time for community members to harvest, prepare and stock food for the winter season. During this time many items such as halibut, salmon, herring and berries are prepared traditionally by smoking or drying; or by jarring. Throughout the year other traditional foods are stocked such as deer, ducks, herring eggs, crab, sea urchin, clams, oysters and mussels.

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