For thousands of years before the Spaniards first saw the San Juans in 1791, the islands were the home of Coast Salish peoples and a culture that was intertwined with the natural beauty and resources offered by the archipelago.
Coast Salish peoples were forced to move to reservations, but their cultures and ties to the islands — and those of other Northwest Coast Native peoples — survive. And in the next few weeks, several events will take place that will help San Juan residents connect with the original cultures of the islands.
