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Rough seas calming: Tin Wis, past, present, and future

Tin Wis is within Tla-o-qui-aht Ḥaaḥuułi and the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, and like the ancestral village site that existed here for tens of thousands of years, the 85-room beachfront hotel stands facing one of the oldest highways on earth – the ocean. Connected to this deeply storied place, Tin Wis Best Western Resort’s own evolution relies upon the resilience of the Tla-o-qui-aht people, ancestral land and identity, and the perseverance of Cultural Lifeways as well as the Indigenous laws which protect biological diversity.

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Honouring a connection to living history at tinwis

From the shoreline of tinwis beach to the carved cedar that welcomes guests onto the property, each piece carries connection, to family, territory, language, and memory. As part of National Indigenous History Month, this piece reflects on one of those stories through the work and words of Tla-o-qui-aht interdisciplinary artist Tleḥpik Hjalmer Wenstob. Centered around the ʔiiḥtuup (humpback whale) č̓iin̓uł (totem) raised at tinwis beach, this story shares the deep personal and cultural meaning behind the carving, the family members who helped bring it to life, and the connections between place, ancestry, and home that continue to shape the Tla-o-qui-aht ḥaḥuułi today.

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Raising Maht-Mas-Uuthluuk — “The Chief that looks after his people”.

Standing strong against the Pacific winds, Maht-Mas-Uuthluuk — “The Chief that Looks After His People” — now rises proudly at Tin Wis Resort. Hand-carved from cedar and raised in the traditional way, this 23-foot čiinuł (totem pole) tells the story of leadership, respect, and ancestral teachings. Guided by Tla-o-qui-aht master carver Joe Martin, along with artists Gordon Dick and Kelly Robinson, the pole honours Hiyoueah Seitcher — a hereditary chief and healer — whose spirit lives on in the Thunderbird perched above the whale. Together, this artwork stands as a reminder of community, responsibility, and the enduring strength of Tla-o-qui-aht culture.

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