Qualla: Duncan

Duncan: Introduction

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Nle1229, CC BY-SA 3.0. Over forty totem poles stand along the streets of Duncan, their carved faces watching traffic pass on the Trans-Canada Highway that runs through this small Vancouver Island city. The poles represent many nations and carving traditions, gathered here as public art that earned Duncan its nickname: the City of Totems. But the Indigenous presence runs deeper than display - this is Quw'utsun' territory, the 'warm land' of the Cowichan people, whose community remains the largest First Nations band among the Coast Salish. The Cowichan Tribes have lived here for millennia, and their artisans still produce the distinctive knit sweaters that carry the Cowichan name around the world.

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Image: Nle1229 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Duncan: The Warm Land

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit D. Gordon E. Robertson, CC BY-SA 3.0. The Cowichan Valley lives up to its Halkomelem name. Protected by mountains from the worst Pacific storms, the region enjoys a Mediterranean-influenced climate that distinguishes it from rainier parts of Vancouver Island. Farms spread across the valley floor, producing everything...

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Image: D. Gordon E. Robertson | CC BY-SA 3.0

Duncan: The Cowichan Sweater

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Vrsmith, CC BY-SA 3.0. The bulky knit sweaters emerged in the mid-1800s, when Coast Salish women adapted their traditional weaving skills to work with commercial wool. The designs incorporated Indigenous symbols and patterns; the construction used techniques passed down through generations. The result ...

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Image: Vrsmith | CC BY-SA 3.0

Duncan: City of Totems

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Blake Handley from Victoria, Canada, CC BY 2.0. The totem pole project began in the 1980s as an effort to revitalize Duncan's downtown. Commissioned poles from various First Nations artists were installed along the main streets, each one representing different coastal traditions and stories. Free guided tours offered by the Co...

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Image: Blake Handley from Victoria, Canada | CC BY 2.0

Duncan: Gateway to the Valley

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit SoftwareSimian, CC BY-SA 3.0. Duncan serves the entire Cowichan Valley, its small-town downtown providing services for a regional population of 84,000. The city proper holds fewer than 5,000 residents, but the surrounding communities use Duncan as their mailing address and commercial center. Highway 1 runs st...

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Image: SoftwareSimian | CC BY-SA 3.0