Last Updated on October 21, 2011 by Dennis
Nootka Indians, Nootka People, Nootka First Nations. A name originally applied to the Mooachaht of Nootka sound, west coast of Vancouver Island, and to their principal town, Yuquot, but subsequently extended to all the tribes speaking a similar language. These extend from Cook Creek to the north to beyond Port San Juan, and include the Makah of Flattery Creek, Washington. Sometimes the term has been used as to exclude the last named tribe. The Nootka form one branch of the great Wakashan family and their relationship to the second or Kwakiutl branch is apparent only on close examination. In 1906 there were 435 Makah and 2,159 Vancouver Island Nootka for a total of 2,594. They are decreasing slowly but steadily, the reduction in population of the Nootka of Vancouver Island alone having exceeded 250 between 1901 and 1906.
The Nootka tribes are: Ahousaht, Chaicclesaht, Clayoquot, Cooptee, Ehatisaht, Ekoolthaht, Hachaath (extinct), Hesquiat, Kelsemaht, Klahosaht (probably extinct), Kwoneatshatka (?), Kyuquot, Makah, Manosaht, Mooachaht, Muchalat, Nitinat, Nuchatlitz, Oiaht, Opitchesaht, Pachenaht, Seshart, Toquart, Uchucklesit, and Ucluelet.