Hauyat: From Mountain Top to Ocean Floor

This powerful short film highlights the human connection between land and sea.

Signs of the Heiltsuk’s long-term presence and management at Hauyat are evident across the landscape—from root gardens to fish traps, from orchards to clam gardens. Hauyat sits at the northern end of Hunter Island near the modern-day Heiltsuk community of Bella Bella on the BC Central Coast.

Now, a collaborative team is documenting the rich history of Hauyat “from mountain top to ocean floor.” The Mountain Top to Ocean Floor Project—an ongoing effort by the Heiltsuk Nation, Simon Fraser University, the Hakai Institute, and the University of Victoria—is integrating Heiltsuk knowledge and perspectives with western science to explore the history of Hauyat.

Hakai Magazine^* visited Hauyat this past summer and produced a video about this remarkable place that embodies people’s deep connection to the land and sea.

Video by Meigan Henry, Grant Callegari, and Amorina Kingdon

^*The Hakai Institute and Hakai Magazine are both part of the Tula Foundation. The magazine is editorially independent of the institute and foundation.