Cates Park/Whey-ah-Wichen

wacəq II (1770-1840) was a Great Chief of səl̓ilwət (Burrard Inlet) with his primary residence at təmtəmíxʷtən (Belcarra). Like his father, he had a close relationship with the natural world. He had a particularly strong connection with marine life. He once came upon two young boys throwing rocks at spawning sce:ɬtən (salmon) in ʔənlil̕wət (Indian River). To teach the boys a lesson about their connection to the sce:ɬtən, he asked the sce:ɬtən to leave the river. It was spawning season and ʔənlil̕wət was usually so full of sce:ɬtən, one could practically walk across it. Distressed, the people pleaded with wacəq II, and he asked the sce:ɬtən to return to ʔənlil̕wət. wacəq II was also a proficient hunter and specially trained warrior. He defended səl̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Territory from attacks by other First Nations. He met his fate at the hands of several Kwakwaka’wakw arrows while defending ʔənlil̓wətaɬ (Inlailawatash, a village near the mouth of the Indian River). Like his father and the leaders who preceded them, he was wrapped in cedar bark and placed in a traditional tree burial on an island near təmtəmíxʷtən. wacəq II was also a proficient hunter and specially trained warrior. He defended səl̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Territory from attacks by other First Nations. He met his fate at the hands of several Kwakwaka’wakw arrows while defending ʔənlil̓wətaɬ (Inlailawatash, a village near the mouth of the Indian River). Like his father and the leaders who preceded them, he was wrapped in cedar bark and placed in a traditional tree burial on an island near təmtəmíxʷtən. wacəq II was also a proficient hunter and specially trained warrior. He defended səl̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Territory from attacks by other First Nations. He met his fate at the hands of several Kwakwaka’wakw arrows while defending ʔənlil̓wətaɬ (Inlailawatash, a village near the mouth of the Indian River). Like his father and the leaders who preceded them, he was wrapped in cedar bark and placed in a traditional tree burial on an island near təmtəmíxʷtən.