Introduction
The coastal
area of British Columbia is part of what is often referred to as
"the great Northwest Coast." British Columbia has an advanced,
thriving economy with modern industries including manufacturing,
transportation, mining, fishing, and forestry. Even the movie industry
prospers by using the visual beauty of this coastline of western
North America.
Many groups
of people with different languages and customs have prospered for
thousands of years along the coast and inland along the fjords,
riverways and inland plateau areas of British Columbia.
The early peoples
of the West coast had thriving communities. They established trade
networks and developed industries based on the abundant natural
resources such as fish, seafood and wood. They also developed ways
of using local materials for basic needs and to add artistic, distinctive
touches to their homes, clothing, tools, and ceremonial items. Today,
many First Nations artists carry on the traditions of their ancestors.
Some
of the tools used long ago by First Nations peoples have been found
on isolated beaches, discovered by road construction crews, collected
by ethnologists, or uncovered by archaeologists and exposed by controlled
and recorded excavations. Archaeologists call these finds "artifacts."
On this Web
site, you can learn about some of the tools used by the First Nations
peoples of British Columbia. There are six of these artifacts: spindle
whorls, bark shredders, slate mirrors, whatzits, segmented stones,
and artist's dishes. Some are similar to items that were used in
the recent past or are still in use today. You will also read about
a few artifacts that remain mysteries to today's researchers.
Discover more
about the rich heritage of Canada's First Nations by connecting
to other Web sites provided as links, in the Further Reading section.
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