“The people of the west coast of Vancouver Island used to be called Nootka by Europeans. We know ourselves as Nuu-chah-nulth, which can be translated as “along the mountains” and refers to our traditional territories. ” – Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

This is the first collection of essays, articles and interviews about the Nuu-chah-nulth people, who live along the west coast of Vancouver Island (Canada) and the Olympic Peninsula (USA). Alan L. Hoover has assembled a balance of views from inside and outside Nuu-chah-nulth history, culture and art. He presents the collection in four parts:

In “Voices”, the Mowachaht-Muchalaht and Huu-ay-aht nations recount their own histories, and describe who and where they are today. “Histories” offers fascinating accounts of recent history from outside the Nuu-chah-nulth culture and ancient histories and legends from inside. “Objects” highlights the different interests of those who create objects and those who collect them: are these objects art? Finally, “Journeys” relates the personal and spiritual growth of three Nuu-chah-nulth artists, and how their creations speak about where they came from and where they are now.

Nuu-chah-nulth Voices, Histories, Objects and Journeys is an important contribution to the understanding of a rich and complex society, and essential reading for anyone interested in Northwest Coast art and culture.