Kuper Island
Kuper Island is part of the
Gulf Islands chain, off southeastern
Vancouver Island. It is separated from
Thetis Island to the north by a narrow, artificial canal called The Cut. Kuper Island draws its
name from
Captain Kuper, who was, among other Naval designations, commander of the HMS
Thetis—a ship upon which he was sent to survey parts of
Haida Gwaii for gold.
1
The Penelakut First Nation had and have villages on Kuper Island, along with several
locations in the surrounding region. According to the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group website,
the term Penelakut refers to all Hul'qumi'num people, who have historically lived
on Kuper Island from time to time.2
- 1. Andrew Scott, The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Placenames (Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2009), 105.
- 2. Hul'qumi'num People, Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group.