"Hesquiaht First Nation is a confederation of several small tribes, which amalgamated to create the current Hesquiaht Nation and it is located in an isolated harbor on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Traditionally our people relied on the ocean for our resources.We survived for hundreds of centuries, livingas one with the ocean; taking care of it, ensuring that we did not take more than we needed. The elders taught us that it was our responsibility to manage and protect our resources and it is my humble opinion that we were the best managers of the ocean.We utilized the ocean for multiple purposes andoccasionally we used it for recreation, which will be demonstrated later in my story.

As a young child, I remember the lifestyle we enjoyed living in Hot Springs Cove. We did not have televisions, computers, Internet, electricity, sewer systems or any of the luxuries we have today. Yet life was so wonderful as kids. We swam in the bay all day. We rode our bikes and we played softball, even though we didnít have a field. We were never bored.

When I was nine years old I began to fish with my dad, making $1 a day, and my dad probably thought I was overpaid. As I recall, the ocean was extremely bountiful back then. There were several trollers in Hot Springs Cove. Some of the boats I remember were the Coho King, the Boulder Point,Eileen ìCî, Swan, Restless, SS, Hesquiaht Flyer, Lenny Boy, Tidewater, Audrey S and, of course, the mighty ìSeven Oaks.î

These boats fished just about all year round, fishing for spring salmon in April and progressing into coho, sockeye and pinks in the summer. During the winter months, these boats would troll and jig for ling cod and other ground fish. Our fishermen did not rely on employment insurance benefits or welfare; they were very hard working men."

Get the Story:
Bruce Lucas: Hesquiahtó Through the eyes of a $1 a day fisherman (The First Perspective 7/20)