Kiix-in Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot, British Columbia


Former First Nation Village - A place formerly inhabited by First Nations' people, with no current population or that is usually uninhabited. SW side of Barkley Sound, between Bamfield and Cape Beale, Barclay Land District

Mapped Location

Kiix-in: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Kiix-in

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Kiix-in

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Kiix-in Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Kiix-in

References to Kiix-in that document the origin of its place name

Kiix-in (Former First Nation Village) adopted 1 April 2011, per the provisions of the Maa-nulth Treaty.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia

Kiix-in was once the capital community or main village of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. "The Huu-ay-aht moved from Kiix-in the 1880s, and the village has been untouched ever since. There are remains of several traditional-style Huu-ay-aht bighouses still visible at Kiix-in that evoke memories of the proud achievements of generations of ancestors. Standing and lying on the ground are massive, hand-hewn posts and beams that speak volumes of the people who lived here. These are the only standing remains of an entire traditional Nuu-chah-nulth village in existence. The Huu-ay-aht are in the process of allowing tourism to Kiix-in, and this site is [being considered for designation] as a heritage site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada." (www.huuayaht.org)

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia

"This was the Capital or most important village of the Huu-ay-aht people - 5 longhouses stretched along the bluff here." and, "An archaeological dig may be able to date this. In another account, 'they go Kiix-in back.' The woman chief Ts'imaa-olth paddle to Kiix-in. Main village of the Huu-ay-aht people." (Huu-ay-aht Place Names in the Chief Louie Nookemus historial accounts, c1964, shared September 2009 in the context of the Maa-nulth First Nations Treaty.)

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia

"A bluff or promontory provided a measure of protection against invading tribes, although, according to legend, the inhabitants of Keeshan were wiped out on several occasions. Invading parties threw their victims over the cliff onto the rocks below, hence the name 'Execution Rock'. The sea has carved a hole right through this massive rock, and the sounds of water as it ebbs and flows through this cavern are strange and mysterious. Legends say that an upright shaft extended from this cavern to the top of the promontory, forming an escape route for beleagured defenders." (photos p.141, 252). See also The Story of Execution Rock (ibid, pp 253-6).

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia

 

Last updated: 2023-09-27