The T'Sou-ke are a Coast Salish people currently represented by the T'Sou-ke Nation, who have two reserves around the Sooke Basin on the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the southern end of Vancouver Island.
Seemingly their name was derived from the Sauk people who are now part of the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe in Washington State. Although some sources attribute their name to the Eastern Woodlands people by the same name (now affiliated with the Sac & Fox tribes), both the Washington tribe and the T'Sou-ke are Salish people, and geographically much closer, so I am going to assume that their name was derived from those whose ancestors now make up the majority of the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe. They were sometimes known as the Soke, Sooke, or Sook.
At any rate, in the SENĆOŦEN language, the word refers to the species of Stickleback fish that are found both in Washington and British Columbia.
The traditional language of the T'Sou-ke Nation is the T'Sou-ke dialect of the SENĆOŦEN language, also known as Northern Straits Salish. Native speakers of this language didn't have a single name for the language; rather, there was a different name for the language in each dialect. SENĆOŦEN, Malchosen, Lekwungen, Semiahmoo, and T’Sou-ke are all dialects spoken by the W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) peoples and their closely related neighbors from the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the Gulf and San Juan Islands, southern Vancouver Island, and the southern edge of the Lower Mainland in British Columbia.
Prior to European contact, the T'Sou-ke people lived in peace with their neighbors who spoke dialects of SENĆOŦEN.
Traditional T'Sou-ke life revolved around fishing, hunting, and gathering. Their ceremonies, storytelling, art, and spiritual practices reflected their reverence for the natural world. Potlatches, feasts, and dances were integral to T'Sou-ke traditions. The potlatch served as a way to share wealth, honor ancestors, and strengthen social bonds.
The tribe was exposed to Europeans early through interactions with the Hudson's Bay Company. The Nation was a signatory to the Douglas Treaties in the mid-19th century, but when British Columbia became part of Canada in 1871, the province did not recognize Indigenous title, and no further treaties were made. However, The province did accept Indigenous people's rights as stated in the Canadian Constitution.
Along with other Coast Salish First Nations, the T'Sou-ke Nation is represented by the Te'mexw Treaty Association, having entered the process in 1995. In 2013, the Nation signed an Incremental Treaty Agreement (ITA), intended to build trust among the parties and create incentives to reach further milestones.
The Nation is governed by an elected chief and two councilors, who are elected every two years. At the regional level, the Nation is represented by the Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the T'Sou-ke people. Online resources representing or pertaining to the T'Sou-ke First Nation, its governmental bodies, enterprises, businesses, schools, or other entities or programs, are appropriate topics for this category, as are those which are owned or operated by individual T'Sou-ke members.
Recommended Resources
In partnership with the T'Sou-ke First Nation, Synergraze has developed a pilot-scale production facility on reserve lands to grow seaweed native to the Pacific's local waters in a land-based aquaculture facility. The website introduces the founder and CEO, Tamara Loiselle, provides the history and overview of the project, and acknowledges a list of sponsors. News and information about the facility are posted, and its address, telephone number, and an online contact form are provided.
https://synergraze.com/
The First Nations band government holds two reserves around the Sooke Basin on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, at the southern end of Vancouver Island. The official tribal website introduces the elected chief and council, administrative offices, membership policies, laws, regulations, member programs and services, job opportunities, public notices, and community events calendar. Sooke Potholes Regional Park and Spring Salmon Place Campground are highlighted.
https://www.tsoukenation.com/
T'Sou-ke Community Complex & Health Centre
Constructed in 2024, the Community Complex and Health Cantre is intended to serve T'Sou-ke members, the Sooke community, and residents from South Langford to Port Renfrew, British Columbia. Situated on IR-1, just off of Highway 14, the facility provides healthcare services and acts as a cultural and community gathering and resource hub for tribal members. Its location, hours of operation, appointment policies, services, funding partners, and contacts are provided.
https://www.tsoukenation-cchc.com/
