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Salmon barbecue round off final day of protest at Cowichan fishing demonstration

Item is a photograph of a salmon cookout beneath the sign, "Salmon for Survival." Caption in Nesika vol. 2, no. 9 (September 1973): SALMON BARBECUE round off the final day of protest. It was held in front of an old horse barn that served as headquarters for fishing demonstrators. Since the main salmon run had not started yet, only half of the fish used were harvested from the weir. The rest was donated by Cowichan Band members farther downriver., Minister Jack Davis had been invited to attend, but the minister refused to attend and join "lawbreakers."

Cowichan Valley (B.C.)

In August 1973, a weeklong fishing protest was staged to backup demands for the rights of the Cowichan Band to hunt and fish for food unrestricted on their own land. Despite years of delays and lack of support for the protest from the Cowichan Band Council, a camp was eventually prepared in Cowichan Valley consisting of mostly young First Nation peoples. The demonstration lasted three days and rounded off with a salmon barbeque held in front of an old horse barn that had worked as the demonstrator's headquarters. Minister Jack Davis was invited to the barbeque but declined to join the "lawbreakers".

1 photograph : b&w ; 18.5 x 27 cm

Related article appeared on page 2 of Nesika vol. 2, no. 9 (September 1973), entitled "Band wants to operate fishing co-op". Image appeared in Nesika, caption reads "SALMON BARBECUE round off the final day of protest. It was held in front of an old horse barn that served as headquarters for fishing demonstrators. Since the main salmon run had not started yet, only half of the fish used were harvested from the weir. The rest was donated by Cowichan Band members farther downriver. Minister Jack Davis had been invited to attend, but the minister refused to attend and join "lawbreakers." "

McKevitt, G. (photographer)

Copyright held by Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

Title based on contents of the image

Demonstration began Aug. 29, 1973.

September 16, 2024