Haunted Places in Nanaimo

[riverrat]

Ooo, this kind of thing has always interested me. I've always heard that Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands (probably the entire gloomy Pacific Northwest) region is a hotbed of paranormal activity.

The only spot I know to be (famously) haunted is Beban House; it's even been on several shows, I think, and it's mentioned in all those tourist books too. Apparently the old place has kids bouncing balls and stuff?

Wouldn't be surprised if some of the mine shafts are haunted, too. Now THAT's creepy.
(...There's something about artifacts from nineteenth century industry; they're always really eerie and sad.)

[scottyg]

The of course there is the Qualicum Heritage Inn, which was featured on Creepy Canada. Grayden and I stayed there!

I have found Cowichan Bay very haunted, in particular Mt Tzholela(can't spell it). Had an intense vision after climbing it. Went on a quest for what it meant. Found out that my little dream was very synchronistic to an event that happened there. Not recorded in whitey's history books though... had to look at some first nations sites.

I don't get any vibes outta the whole downtown Victora thing. I am leaning towards that being just another tourist trap.

In any respect... .. there is no real way to measure a vibe. But parapsychology to me is fascinating.

[riverrat]

I have found Cowichan Bay very haunted, in particular Mt Tzholela(can't spell it). Had an intense vision after climbing it. Went on a quest for what it meant. Found out that my little dream was very synchronistic to an event that happened there. Not recorded in whitey's history books though... had to look at some first nations sites.

Yes, there is definitely a "vibe" on Mt Tzouhalem.

I'm curious to know, ScottyG; what did you learn about the (pre-)history of the place? Or is it a private story?

[scottyg]

I searched all night to try and find the web pages I once had stumbled upon, but with no avail.

It involved a war between first nations of the North and the Salish Cowichan people.

From that my memory tell me.....The Cowichan people had returned from the south to find their Villiage destroyed, many killed, the women taken into slavery. They heard from their couzins in New West that the raiding party had planned to return and they planned an ambush for them in Mill Bay. According to one source, a warrior dressed in drag (a woman fishing) was in a war canoe pretending to fish while 20 warriors lay on the bottom of the boat. She lured some of the raiding party into the straight thus dividing the force. The Cowichan slaughtered them until the bay (Maple bay I think) was red with blood.. they even chased them back up the coast as far as Comox and killed every one of them. The continued North to recapture their women.

The vision I had, I believe was one of the first attack on the Cowichan Villiage. This unbelievalbe sorrow overcame me like smoke..... then a rage ... and smell of copper and visions of red waves. It was intense.. I was moved to tears.... didn't know why I thought of such things.... didn't make a whole hellofalotta sense till I read the articles which i can no longer find. If there is anybody from any on the Cowichan bands or related Salish on the forums ... they might be a better source to talk to about this battle.


okay... I found one of the pages.... http://saltspringarchives.com/multic...ons/index.html

[riverrat]

Cool stuff, ScottyG. That page you linked to is very interesting.
Sounds like Tzouhalem was a ninja. He even danced with his weapons!

Here's the link again:
An Introduction to History of First Nations in the Gulf Islands - from the Saltspring Archives
For those who want to find the battle he's referring to, scroll down to "The Battle of Hwtlupnuts (Maple Bay, c.1840)"

I mentioned to my girlfriend the possibility of Mt Tzouhalem being haunted, and she said there are bodies buried in caves in the side of the mountain.
That'll do it!

Hrm, it seems like I'm saying that it's less creepy to put a corpse under a bunch of earth than to put it into a cave. ...
...Go cremation!

[scottyg]

Yeah.. he seems rather iconified as a warrior!

Bodies in caves.... perhaps a gothic ninja tradition.

There are other pages out there that tell more of the story.. I am still searching for them. Apparently Shaw in Calgary was hacked a little while ago(anyone heard anything about that?) Am having trouble with some of my web pages even showing.

[shilah]

I searched all night to try and find the web pages I once had stumbled upon, but with no avail.

It involved a war between first nations of the North and the Salish Cowichan people.

From that my memory tell me.....The Cowichan people had returned from the south to find their Villiage destroyed, many killed, the women taken into slavery. They heard from their couzins in New West that the raiding party had planned to return and they planned an ambush for them in Mill Bay. According to one source, a warrior dressed in drag (a woman fishing) was in a war canoe pretending to fish while 20 warriors lay on the bottom of the boat. She lured some of the raiding party into the straight thus dividing the force. The Cowichan slaughtered them until the bay (Maple bay I think) was red with blood.. they even chased them back up the coast as far as Comox and killed every one of them. The continued North to recapture their women.

The vision I had, I believe was one of the first attack on the Cowichan Villiage. This unbelievalbe sorrow overcame me like smoke..... then a rage ... and smell of copper and visions of red waves. It was intense.. I was moved to tears.... didn't know why I thought of such things.... didn't make a whole hellofalotta sense till I read the articles which i can no longer find. If there is anybody from any on the Cowichan bands or related Salish on the forums ... they might be a better source to talk to about this battle.


okay... I found one of the pages.... http://saltspringarchives.com/multic...ons/index.html

this page you found I started to read and the minute i read deer and elk flourished I stopped. I live on vancouver island and grew up here My grandmother lives in cowichan and I grew up in the comox valley and now reside in Sayward. Not to start anything but reading on some links of the battles were just crazy. And ELK were brought to the island in the 60's.....so that part is a straight up lie . now we have a huge amount of them here I wake up to them everymorning in my yard and just found bull sheds the other day. I think if you really want to know true facts about this beautiful island go to the reserve and ask them of the legends. and a haunted place is Cumberland !!!! lots of history my husbands great grandfather actually built the road from cumberland to royston and they were one of the first 2 settle there. The old china town is very haunted you can feel it the minute you walk past old jumbo's cabin on lake road.

[Grayden]

Qualicum Heritage Inn was interesting. There is a house I stayed at once in Maple Bay. The newer addition was fine. But as soon as one walked into the older part of the house one could instantly feel a difference.

Isn't there a haunted tour or something in Nanaimo?

[celticparadox]

ok...not really paying attention to this thread but "gothic ninjas" is just a way cool idea.

[alas]

Done by the nanaimo district museum
http://www.nanaimomuseum.ca/speciale...e.htm#Cemetery
scroll up a bit for days. It is the Comox road cemetary.