The Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht, and Makah occupy western Vancouver Island and the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. This book examines the long culture history of these closely related peoples, a history that extends back to mythic times, when the powerful transformers put the landscape and the animals in their present forms.

Alan McMillan brings together an impressive array of sources and integrates them into a single account. Archaeological evidence dating back more than 4,000 years is discussed in detail. Native oral traditions, linguistic studies, and historic evidence also contribute to a rounded picture of these societies and to an understanding of the changes that have occurred over time.