Encounters

This comic strip is from "The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book", created by Gord Hill a Kwakwaka'wakw artist and historian.

Warning: Some of the images are graphic in nature and may be disturbing.

“What were the Indigenous people’s meetings with the fur traders like?”

(The title is white on a black background with a chalkboard-like font. All following images are hand-drawn and in black and white.)

“For several decades the fur trade was the main concern of European + US ships entering the region…

This trade decimated the sea otter population. Ship’s crews used force at times to ensure compliance, even taking hostages.”

(Hand-drawn, black and white drawing of two sea otters swimming.)

“The Russians began trading with the Aleut in 1741. They took families hostage & forced hunters to gather sea otters.

In 1763, Aleuts revolted + destroyed 4 of 5 Russian ships. In retaliation, many Aleut villagers were massacred.”

(A Russian in a fur hat holds a musket at an Aleut villager who’s hands are up in surrender. In the background is a sail ship.)

“As the Russians ravaged the Aleut & sea otter populations, they began moving south into Tlingit territory. But the Tlingit were much better armed from trading with British & American ships.

The most sought-after trade items were guns & ammo. Throughout the Coast, women conducted most of the trade negotiations.”

(Three Tlingit armed with muskets face-off a European on a sail ship. The European is in a jacket and also armed with a musket.)

“As more ships descended on the region throughout the 1780s & ‘90s, more ships were attacked. Over the next 30 years dozens of ships would be captured.”

(Warriors in traditional armour with spears and clubs board the side of a ship armed with Europeans.)

In 1803, the US ship Boston was attacked by Mowachaht & Muchalaht warriors, who killed 25 or 27 crew members.

The 2 survivors were forced to identify the severed heads of the crew. They were enslaved for 2 years…”

(On the side of a ship is a row of severed heads. Warriors face them holding spears and clubs while one American points at the heads.)

“In 1811, the Tonquin was attacked by Tla-o-qui-aht warriors led with Wickaninnish in Clayoquot Sound. A surviving crew member rigged explosives & escaped. THe blast killed as many as 100 Tla-o-qui-aht.

(Three Tla-o-qui-aht watch in surprise on shore as a ship blows up.)