Bella Coola
British Columbia
Bella Coola is located in a valley on the west coast of British Columbia. It is accessible (depending on season) by ferry from Port Hardy or small plane from Vancouver. On a foggy flying day you may even find yourself landing in Anahim Lake and then taking a bus the rest of the way. In the summer you can drive the ‘freedom road’ north from Williams Lake, BC. The entire Bella Coola Valley has approximately 1900 residents. Nearly 900 are members of the Nuxalk Nation and the rest are of Norwegian descent. (“Xalk” is pronounced “hulk,” with a throat-clearing noise similar to the German ach.)
The Nuxalk Nation has been occupying and exercising their rights on the lands, water and resources of their ancestral territory since time immemorial.The Nuxalk Nation is a mixture of many villages including the four largest villages: Talyu in Ats’aaxlh (South Bentick); Suts’lhm (Kimsquit) to the north - this includes Satskw’ (Kimsquit River) and Nutl’l (Dean River); Kwalhna to the west (right along the coast); and Q’umk’uts‘ to the east.
Founding producer and Nuxalkmc, Banchi Hanuse, made this the first community that Our World visited in 2006. Banchi continues to make films (Smayaykila Films), and helps run Nuxalk Radio.
MORE INFO:
Bella Coola Films & AUDIO
2021
2011
2008
2007
2006
Blog
2021
2011
2008
2007
