Afterword

As a Greek philosopher once observed, there is nothing so constant as change. Here in Ucluelet, we no longer navigate town solely by boat or by boardwalk. From isolated outpost to village to designated district, Ucluelet continues to experience growing pains. We now have a downtown beautification plan, several one-​way lanes, and an initially disconcerting four-​way stop in the centre of town.

This could be a metaphor reminding us to slow down. Big changes are afoot, as developers swarm in with various visions of just what Ucluelet “should” be. Certainly, we need affordable housing. Certainly, people want to reside here and need homes to live in. But increased traffic, limited health care and amenities, and aging infrastructure all point to the need for prudence.

What drew us here? What kept us here? What will keep us here? I hope these accounts of the past, together with the centuries-​old wisdom of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥ, will help inform the decisions of the future.

The writing of this book was, at times, less calm harbour and more turbulent seas, with a tsunami of information. At some point, I had to call it “done.” But my fascination with history is never-​ending—the voyage will continue.