Nuu-Chah-Nulth
/ˌnuː.tʃɑːˈnʊlθ/noun
A collective name for a group of Indigenous peoples and their language communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Did you know?Nuu-chah-nulth was formally adopted in 1978 as a self-designation, replacing the widely used colonial name “Nootka,” which arose from an early European misunderstanding.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact
Nuu-chah-nulth
nuučaan̓uł
“A traditional self-designation associated with the people and their homeland along the outer coast of Vancouver Island.”
1778
English
Nootka
“A European rendering that developed after Captain James Cook interpreted a local expression as the name of the place.”
19th Century
English
Nootka
“A colonial umbrella term used for the Indigenous peoples and language varieties of western Vancouver Island.”
1978
English/Nuu-chah-nulth
Nuu-chah-nulth
“A restored collective name adopted by the formerly Nootka-speaking peoples.”
Modern English
English
Nuu-chah-nulth
“The contemporary name for the Indigenous peoples, nations, and language communities of the region.”