British Columbia has one of the most diverse populations of Aboriginal people in all of North America. The province is home to 198 First Nations or approximately one third of Canada's 612 First Nations bands – more than in any other province or territory.
Before Europeans settled British Columbia in the 1850s, Aboriginal communities thrived throughout the province. The diversity of the lands and resources in the Pacific Northwest region supported the development of many unique Aboriginal cultures with distinct languages and traditions.
From the coast to the interior, Aboriginal people hunted, fished, lived off the land and flourished. They passed on their culture, knowledge and traditions from one generation to the next through art, story and ceremony.
In 1871, when it joined Confederation, British Columbia was the only province in which Aboriginal people were the majority. By 1911, they represented only 5.5% of the provincial population.
Today there are approximately 170,000 Aboriginal people in British Columbia, representing just over four per cent of the population. Their cultures, rooted in the past, continue to evolve. Their spirit remains strong and proud.
