Name and Contact
The name Wakesh or Waukash is Nuu-chah-nulth for "good", and was given by one of the early explorers including Captain James Cook, who believed it to be the tribal appellation.
Juan de Fuca was probably the first white man to meet Wakashan-speaking peoples, and Juan Perez visited the Nuu-chah-nulth people in 1774. After 1786, English mariners frequently sailed to Nootka Sound; in 1803 the crew of the American ship Boston were almost all killed by these Indians. In 1843 the Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post at Victoria. European-Canadians had regular contact with the First Nations after that time, resulting in population losses in the early 20th century due to smallpox epidemics, social disruption and alcoholism. In 1903 the Aboriginals numbered about 5200, of whom 2600 were in the West Coast Agency, 1300 in the Kwakewith Agency, 900 in the North West Coast Agency, and 410 at Neah Bay Company, Cape Flattery. In 1909 they numbered 4584, including 2070 Kwakiutl and 2494 Nootka. Roman Catholic missionaries were active in the region.
Read more about this topic: Wakashan Languages
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