Ecologically Sustainable and Culturally Authentic

Yaù, H’aiagal’ath Grizzly Bear Tours welcomes you to W’ui’kinuxv Territory!

The W’ui’kinuxv are the Inland Eagle People. For over 14,000 years, the W’ui’kinuxv have been stewarding this vast wilderness in the Central Coast region of British Columbia. The Territory, culture and history are where W’ui’kinuxv richness exists. Be our guest in W’ui’kinuxv Territory where our stories, Grizzly Bears, salmon, waterfalls and mountains will guide you into a spiritual awakening.

Experience and learn about temperate rainforests and the wildlife they support

At the heart of British Columbia’s Central Coast and the Great Bear Rainforest, guests of H’aiagal’ath Grizzly Bear Tours will discover W’ui’kinuxv Territory. The vast wilderness supports a rich diversity of fauna and flora spanning terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Classified as the Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone, the contiguous forests in W’ui’kinuxv Territory include mature and old-growth Western Hemlock, Western Red Cedar and Sitka Spruce. The forests, rivers and estuary habitats support Grizzly Bears, breeding Marbled Murrelets, and all five Pacific Salmon species. Other wildlife in the area include Black Bears, Coastal Wolves, Lynx, Bobcats and Trumpeter Swans.

The W’ui’kinuxv have protected the wilderness where wildlife is free to roam

There are 92,529 hectares of breathtaking protected wilderness within the W’ui’kinuxv Territory. This network of five W’ui’kinuxv-BC Parks Conservancies including the Kilbella (Geldala) Estuary (2007/376 ha), Owikeno (2007/70,569 ha), Machmell (2007/1,814 ha), Shemahant (2007/1,018 ha) and Koeye (2006/18,752 ha) strategically safeguard wildlife and respect W’ui’kinuxv interests, authority and protocols. The W’ui’kinuxv were signatories to end bear hunting and in 2017, the BC Government implemented a ban on Grizzly Bear hunting. The Waanukv (River) is home to all five Pacific species of salmon, including some of the largest chinook on Earth. Bears fish salmon out of braided river channels and forage for Chocolate Lily (corms), Pacific Silver Weed and Skunk Cabbage in the rich estuaries.

A Word from H’aiagal’ath

Yaù (hello), nugva (I am) H’aiagal’ath (’Uik̓ala for eternal, forever), the W’ui’kinuxv Hereditary Chief in Standing name bestowed upon me during a family potlatch. My English name is Alexander Bruce Chartrand. I am the sole proprietor and operator of H’aiagal’ath Grizzly Bear Tours Inc. The logo embodies my sacred connection to our land and resources. It depicts two Grizzly Bears holding a salmon and t̓hàqva (copper). They are immersed in a green background, which represents the rich forested lands and the interconnectedness of humans, wildlife, waterways and lands within the W’ui’kinuxv Territory. W’ui’kinuxv have lived in harmony with the nàən  (Grizzly Bear) for 14,000+ years. Grizzlies are the keepers of the land and share the responsibility of stewardship of the land with the W’ui’kinuxv. Salmon represent the abundance of resources and the delicate balance that needs to be maintained to ensure that life is sustained. The copper is a means of expressing wealth. The individual names of W’ui’kinuxv demonstrate the sacred connection to the land and resources. They give us the power and authority to carry on our sacred ceremonies that uplift ourselves, our families, our clans and the W’ui’kinuxv while we maintain sustainable stewardship of our land, water, resources and all life in the Territory. I welcome you to enrich your spirit as our guest on H’aiagal’ath Grizzly Bear Tours in the sacred Territory of the W’ui’kinuxv.

Gianakaci (thank you),