Our History

The formation of Qqs Projects Society in 1999 was the culmination of social, cultural, and environmental movements that had been gaining momentum in our community since the 1970s.

Going back to our roots

Youth: In the late 1970s and early 1980s the Bella Bella Community School sponsored a series of programs to get students out on the land. These programs were designed to reconnect Heiltsuk youth with their environment and give them the skills to develop self-reliance, confidence, and healthier lifestyles. Through the 1980s several other initiatives were started, including a Rediscovery Camp program on Goose Island, which aimed to reconnect Heiltsuk youth to their culture as well as their environment. It was also around this time that the community began its first modern use of isolation as an intervention strategy for a troubled youth.

Culture: Meanwhile, leaders in Bella Bella were helping to restore Heiltsuk culture to the forefront of community life. The Dha‘yaci Society was formed to organize and empower the hemas (hereditary chiefs) so they could more fully realize their positive influence and traditional leadership role in the community. The society used its charitable status to raise money for cultural advocacy programs, including the Heiltsuk Bighouse project.

Environment: At this time the Heiltsuk were involved in a grassroots environmental movement to acquire private, unprotected land in Heiltsuk territory and to hand it back to the Heiltsuk people, who have never ceded it. The Heiltsuk were also fighting to gain a stronger voice in negotiating with the logging industry in areas like Ingram-Mooto.

By the 1990s the Heiltsuk were moving steadily ahead with youth camping programs, cultural revitalization, and the movement to regain control of land and natural resources across Heiltsuk territory. It was becoming clear that these initiatives were inseparably connected.

Moving forward

When the Rediscovery Camps came to an end in the 1990s, smaller youth camping programs expanded to include families and individuals in the Heiltsuk restorative justice program. These programs were still operating with a handful of tents provided by community members. The need for permanent camp facilities was acknowledged.

So, with the support of the Dha‘yaci Society and the hemas, Larry Jorgenson started the Cabins Project. Older community youth were given the necessary training and guidance to build cabins throughout our territory to be used for youth camping programs and traditional food gathering, among other things.

Meanwhile the Koeye River, 30 miles south of Bella Bella, was receiving a great deal of attention from the community. This large, pristine watershed, containing several ancient Heiltsuk village sites, was under threat from commercial development. Heiltsuk opposition and a large-scale protest helped prevent the newly constructed Koeye Lodge from operating commercially, but the private land on which the lodge stood was logged by the disgruntled owners.

It was felt that a strong, continued Heiltsuk presence was needed at the river to prevent further destruction of its cultural and ecological values. These same values made it an ideal place to start a new camp program. So in 1997 the Cabins Project built two cabins at Koeye River and the Koeye Camp program began. In addition to providing participants with valuable life skills, the new camp emphasized culture and science in its activities. Under the guidance of Heiltsuk elders, campers learned sacred Heiltsuk ceremonies and the gvi‘ilas, the laws of our ancestors, as well as traditional resource management techniques, as they still do today.

Qqs Projects Society

As government funding dwindled and the activities of the camps fell outside the mandate of the Dha‘yaci Society, it was decided a non-profit society should be set up specifically to operate and to solicit ongoing support for youth and cultural programs.

So, in 1999, with the support of the hemas, Larry Jorgenson formally established Qqs Projects Society "to support Heiltsuk youth, culture, and environment". Qqs assumed responsibility for the Cabins Project and Koeye Camp.

In 2001, with the support of Heiltsuk Tribal Council and the hemas, Qqs helped secure Koeye Lodge for the Heiltsuk. The following year title of the lodge and property was transferred to Qqs Projects Society, which by then had obtained charitable status. The lodge was managed by Qqs on behalf of the Heiltsuk Nation and was used primarily to support the activities of the camps.

For the next several years Qqs had its hands full with Koeye Camp, which grew exponentially. During this time Qqs also undertook the multi-year project of building Dhadhixsistala - the Koeye Bighouse - which was completed in 2006.

Meanwhile, back in Bella Bella, Qqs obtained a new office at a prominent location near the government wharf. It quickly became a centre for positive community discussion and involvement. Qqs started selling coffee at the office in early 2007 and the Koeye Café was born. Thistalalh Memorial Library was established soon afterwards. 2007 was also the pilot year for Coastwatch, which started by taking baseline data measurements at Koeye alongside the Round River Conservation Studies field school.

Since its inception Larry had been running Qqs from the side of his desk, volunteering his time while working a broad range of social and community development jobs in Bella Bella. But by 2008, through successful relationship-building and fundraising efforts, the society had grown large enough to have its own operations budget. Larry could finally devote himself full time for the society. The establishment of a board of directors soon followed.

Today Qqs Projects Society is stronger than ever and its role in the community has never been clearer. We are looking to the future with new community initiatives like Númas Toys and innovative stewardship projects like our SEAS Internship. We are also returning to our roots as we help revive the Dha‘yaci Society and establish a new presence on Goose Island. We are committed to ensuring a bright future for Bella Bella and the Heiltsuk Nation!

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