Lot #94: 1977 Salish Dollar Commemorative Rose Sparrow & Chief Khahtsahlano

Chief August Jack Khatsahlano, hereditary chief of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) Nation, had a strong connection to Hastings Mill and the Old Hastings Mill Store Museum.Chief August Jack Khahtsahlano, 1932. Vancouver City Archives LP 3Chief August Jack Khahtsahlano, 1932. Vancouver City Archives LP 3The son of Khay-tulk and Qwhy-wat, August Jack Khahtsahlano was born at Schilhus (Chaythoos), near Prospect Point, around October 1877. Khay-tulk died circa 1881 and Qwhy-wat later married Chinalset, also known as Jericho Charlie. Khahtsahlano, his mother, stepfather and siblings divided their time between seasonal homes at Chaythoos and Senw (Snauq) inside at the head, on the south shore of False Creek. Khahtsahlano learned the traditional ways of living off land and sea from Chinalset, and became an accomplished outdoorsman. At the insistence of Qwhy-wat, he never attended a Residential School, thus being spared the catastrophic outcomes of that system. The family raised cattle on their Chaythoos farm and Qwhy-wat paddled daily to Hastings Mill Store with fresh milk. Their home, originally built by Khahtsahlanos grandfather of thick cedar slabs split with hammer and chisel, had been demolished and rebuilt by Khay-tulk sometime in the 1870s using Hastings Mill lumber.The permanent demolition of Chaythoos and neighbouring Indigenous communities began in 1887 for the development of the Stanley Park roadway and public concourses. Khahtsahlano depicted a road surveyor cutting off a corner of his familys house in this scene he painted for Vancouver City Archivist Major James Skitt Matthews.Vancouver City Archives Reference No. AM 1562 75 - 55Vancouver City Archives Reference No. AM 1562 75 - 55Most families, including Chinalset, Qwhy-wat and their children, relocated permanently to Snauq, by then designated as Kitsilano Indian Reserve No. 6. When he was sixteen years of age around 1893, Khahtsahlano hosted a potlatch at Snauq to celebrate his christening in the traditional way of his people. Guests came from the local communities of Eslh7an (Ustlawn), xmkym (Musqueam) and slilwta (Tsleil-Waututh), while others arrived from as far away as chatlich (Sechelt) and Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo). An elder served as spokesman during the ceremony, stating that this boy is going to be called Khahtsahlano, same as his grandfather. In April 1913, Snauq was leased to the Province of British Columbia for development and once again community members were forced to relocate. Over the next several years, Khahtsahlano took up residence on the Capilano Indian Reserve, as well as in an old longhouse at Siychem (Seaichem) Indian Reserve No. 16 on the east bank of the Squamish River. (Today the approximate location is visible from the riverside dike at Eagle Run Nature Reserve, home to numerous bald eagles in the winter season.)