In 1998, Candy-Lea Chickite provided me with a GEDCOM file about my family which is a small file that contains genealogical information. This GEDCOM file contained data about my ancestors back 5 generations to Captain John Kwaksista or Kwawkseestahla who is my great-great grandfather. I enjoy doing things via computer. Computers and the Internet were definitely made to help people do family research. I thought that was kind of cool being about to look at my ancestral information. From that year on I have become an amateur genealogist. My family tree has grown since then with the data that I have collected about the families that I have descended from. I have not taken any courses or completed any curriculum that would qualify or certify as a professional genealogist. I am not interested in doing genealogical work outside those that are my family members.
I have learned that in order for anyone to take my genealogy data seriously I have to have source information or material that I can use to prove that my ancestors are who I believe they are. I must properly record ALL of my family data. I don't just put information about the family members that I like. I put in all the information that I can. I don't have any family members that I don't like, by the way. Finding information about my father's family prior to 1899 has been challenging. In order for my genealogy work to have an credibility I have to be able to back up my family claim(s) with proof. I can't just show a family tree chart and say "See! Bob was Captain John Kwaksista's son." Where are the sources for such a claim? Where is the proof? Vital facts are required. Historical information should be available to prove what is being presented. This requires work. Go figure.
I met with a number of family members in Campbell River in May and told them how I came to know who our ancestors were through genealogy. I do not live in Campbell River and have not heard a lot of the stories that my family knows about our ancestors. Some may think that is a hollow knowledge of my ancestry. Knowing the vital statistics of my ancestors helped me better search for information about who they were and the times that they lived in. During my genealogical search and quest to determine who my ancestors were and are I have discovered some interesting and some disturbing things along the way.
Census information is valuable but, it's difficult to say whether my ancestors participated in the during census taking with all out integrity. I tend to think that my ancestors viewed the census as an annoying Canadian government process that did not benefit them much. The census information I've found has been interesting but, I don't know how accurate some of the data is. The same thing goes for vital statistic data. Many of my ancestors did not officially register their family births and deaths with the government of British Columbia. Candy-Lea Chickite told my family in May 2011 that many births and deaths within the family were not "properly" registered with the government of British Columbia until 1940.
People working for the Canadian government did not know how to spell my great-great father's name and family name as I mentioned in an blog post I wrote in 2010 about my great grandfather, George Quocksistala, son of Captain John Kwaksista. This was revisionist history in the making! The Canadian government's history of colonizing native peoples through the Indian Act is well documented through out the Indian Act's 135 year history. There are at lease 16 ways that I have seen my family's name spelled. The name "Quocksister" was chosen for my grandparents John and Susan and their children. My Aunt Edna Tremeer says that the name Quocksister was given to my ancestors in 1940 by none other than the Canadian government.
It is relatively well known that Laichkwiltach people had and were given numerous names. Talk about a painful challenge! Some of my ancestors may have changed names in the past like people buy, sell and trade cars today. I'm still learning about the whole naming thing but, from what I know thus far, use of names or changing of names can be factor as to why people just seem to disappear. My favourite example is a child that I can find no other supporting data for who appears to be a son that my great-grandfather George Kwocksistala (Sigh! One of the many ways his last name was spelled.) and his wife Mary had. This boy's name was recorded as "Georgie" on Line 21 of the page that was recorded in the 1911 Census. According to the 1911 Census recorded in Line 21 Georgie lived in Campbell River, was Male, Son (Of George [Line 19] and Mary [Line 20]), Marital status was Single (S), Month of Birth was blank (Probably unkown), Year of Birth 1901, Age 10, Year of immigration - Blank, Year of Naturalization - Blank, Racial or tribal origin - Indian, Nationality - Canadian, Religion - Methodist, Chief occupation or trade - helper, Employment other than chief occupation or trade, if any - 4 -8 -01, Employer - No, Employee - Yes, Working on own (Something) - No, Work hours per week - 70 {Poor kid!} Months at School in 1910 - 6, Can read - Yes, Can write - Yes, Language normally spoken - Indian and English. There are some lines on the Census page that I skipped because I couldn't decipher what was being asked for and recorded. Where did Georgie go? I have searched for him and haven't found anything about him since the 1911 Census. Did his name change? Part of the unexplained. A mystery to be solved in the future.
There are those that think Kwawkseestalha, or Captain John Kwaksista, of the Ahwahoo tribe of the Laichkwiltach Nation is their ancestor and forefather as well. Even with the problems that I have mentioned earlier in this blog I can say with fair certainty that this is not true in the case of those people. I will fully explain why shortly. I also find it interesting that there are those who are Captain John Kwaksista's descendants and refuse to admit it. This is true and sad for those people. Suck it up people!
The fact that Kwawkseestalha, Captain John Kwaksista, or less flatteringly in some instances called Captain John Quacksister, had three sons is documented by Fred Nunns, a settler who came to the Campbell River area and also Indian Agent Pidcock. My father, his brothers and sisters also knew these things based on information that George Quocksistala's widow, their grandmother Mary, told them. I do not have Frank Nunns diary so I can't personally reference it. I can reference what Indian Agent Pidcock wrote. Indian Agent Pidcock's written observation of my ancestors was interestingly referenced in a prominent court case that those from Campbell River and Cape Mudge know well. Kwawkseestalha and Mah kwawk had three sons named Tsah kai use (Jack), Tsah kahlth (Tom) and Kwin kwaw lis (George). This information is from the 1881 Canada Census which supports my living ancestors claim. The living ancestors I speak of are my father and two remaining uncles and aunt. Captain John Kwaksista does not appear to have had a son by the name of Bob. I have kept an open mind about this. From what I know about genealogy and historical information about my family in general, I recognize that I could be incorrect in this presentation of what I believe to be the facts. If I am incorrect. Prove it!
Don't get me wrong! Bob Kwakistala did exist as can be seen in the 1911 Canada Census. At the time of the 1911 Census he was 40 years old. This may or may not be correct. The 1911 Census says his wife's name was Jennie. That may or may not be correct. Bob Kwockseslala appeared to have passed away in Alert Bay in 1918 from what I found at BC Vital Statistics which stated that he was 50 years old at the time of his passing. I discovered that his oldest son William Robert Quockester served with the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force in World War 1 and that he indicated that he was born in Naniamo on his Attestation Paper. I believe this man, William, changed his last name to Roberts to become William Roberts sometime during or after World War 1. Am I wrong? I might be but, I haven't seen anyone else's explanation or proof, with references, that proves that William's father, Bob, was my great-great grandfather's son. Bob may be of the Ahwahoo tribe and he could well be related to Captain John Kwaksista but, from what I have found, Bob does not appear to be a son of Kwawkseestalha. Prove me wrong!
The 1881 Canada Census also listed tribal affiliation! Tribal affiliation information has not been recorded since 1881. The Ahwahoo tribe of the Laichkwiltach Nation existed in 1881 and still exists today. For those that say the Ahwahoo never existed and that my family illegally squats on land that belongs to others are entirely incorrect. Historical information available shows that the Ahwahoo existed and live in what is now called Campbell River, British Columbia.
I am Ahwahoo! As I've said before, my cousins and I know who we are. This knowledge can not be stolen from my family. Our ancestral history is documented and we know from whom we have come. It is unfortunate that there are those that can't say the same.
