Quw'utsun Sta'lo' Skweyul (Cowichan River Day)
On September 22, 2024, Cowichan Tribes and the Cowichan Stewardship Roundtable hosted a celebration in honour of Quw'utsun Sta'lo' Skweyul (Cowichan River Day). The day was opened with the talented Tzinquaw Dancers, led by Robert George. John George, Cowichan elder, was our wonderful MC for the day. There were many activities, including Cowichan elders and knowledge keepers sharing skills used for millennia such as carving, cedar weaving and traditional medicine. There were also opportunities to learn about why a new weir is needed, meet Raptor birds from NW Pacific Raptors, watch fishery biologists do a river seine and countless other activities. Thank you to all who made the day so wonderful!
Please visit our gallery to see photos of River Days past!
Please visit our gallery to see photos of River Days past!
About
The Quw'utsun Sta'lo' (Cowichan River) is the lifeblood of the Quw'utsun Mustinhw (Cowichan People) and has been used by millennia by them for food, transportation, village sites, medicine and a multitude of other uses.
We are blessed in Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Valley with many rivers, streams, creeks and small tricklets. Our rivers are taking a bad hit the last few years with the effects of a long drought and climate change. Our salmon and all the other river plants and animals are suffering. We are fortunate that the Quw'utsun Sta'lo' (Cowichan River) is one of the few rivers on the east coast of Vancouver Island to have a weir. This allows water to be held back and released to assist salmon outcomes. There has been a great deal of work bringing forward a new higher weir in the future, which will help further. Other rivers such as the Koksilah, which do not have a weir and no lake to draw from are even worse off that Quw'utsun. What can we do? Educate ourselves and become engaged. Cowichan River is one of three Heritage Rivers in the province.
Millions of people around the world celebrate World Rivers Day on the fourth Sunday of September. This event was started in 1980 in BC by Mark Angelo, river conservationist, and the BC Outdoor Recreation Council. From there Mark's vision has encircled the globe. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, Cowichan Tribes and the Cowichan Stewardship Roundtable co-hosted Quw'utsun River Day. Cowichan Tribes is the largest band in BC and is active on many fronts doing river stewardship. Cowichan Stewardship Roundtable was founded with Cowichan Tribes and conservation groups more than 20 years ago. It is a grass roots group promoting collaboration on solving watershed issues.
We are blessed in Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Valley with many rivers, streams, creeks and small tricklets. Our rivers are taking a bad hit the last few years with the effects of a long drought and climate change. Our salmon and all the other river plants and animals are suffering. We are fortunate that the Quw'utsun Sta'lo' (Cowichan River) is one of the few rivers on the east coast of Vancouver Island to have a weir. This allows water to be held back and released to assist salmon outcomes. There has been a great deal of work bringing forward a new higher weir in the future, which will help further. Other rivers such as the Koksilah, which do not have a weir and no lake to draw from are even worse off that Quw'utsun. What can we do? Educate ourselves and become engaged. Cowichan River is one of three Heritage Rivers in the province.
Millions of people around the world celebrate World Rivers Day on the fourth Sunday of September. This event was started in 1980 in BC by Mark Angelo, river conservationist, and the BC Outdoor Recreation Council. From there Mark's vision has encircled the globe. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, Cowichan Tribes and the Cowichan Stewardship Roundtable co-hosted Quw'utsun River Day. Cowichan Tribes is the largest band in BC and is active on many fronts doing river stewardship. Cowichan Stewardship Roundtable was founded with Cowichan Tribes and conservation groups more than 20 years ago. It is a grass roots group promoting collaboration on solving watershed issues.
