5000 BC Various cultures inhabited area The Prehistory of the Central Interior of BC by D Hudson Instructor of Anthropology College of New Caledonia The emphasis on industrial changes in the central interior in the past decade has overshadowed the fact that there were viable native cultures for thousands of years present in this area prior to white penetration in the late 18th century Most of these cultures were well adapted to the river and forest resources of the area with seasonal movements and population dispersals related to these ecological factors Many of the details remain obscure but it is possible to present a sketchy and also speculative framework of human occupation of the interior of British Columbia Glaciation provides a baseline for habitation prior to approximately 10000 years ago the central interior was in part under several thousands of feet of ice With deglaciation about 10000 years ago the reduction of the glaciated areas provided entryways into the interior from both the north and south of the province In the archaeologi archaeological ¬ cal record these movements of people are represented by the physical remains of their material culture the presence of small stone blades called microblades from the north Yukon and Alaska and notched points from the south Columbia Plateau and Plains Microblades haftedin antler sleeves or mounted lengthwise on wooden shafts suggest a hunting culture with extensive use of wood and antler or bone notched points were likely hafted on spear or arrow shafts for hunting In regions around PrinceGeorge there is evidence sug suggesting ¬ gesting great antiquity for various cultures a 7500 year sequence has been recorded for the middle Fraser River area The archaeological record suggests that following deglaciation about 7000 BC the Interior Plateau was occupied by hunting and gathering groups moving north northward ¬ ward out of the Columbia Plateau and a later movement down the Fraser River valley from the north commencing around 5000 BC The Hazelton area has evidence of occu occupation ¬ pation dating to approximately 3500 years ago and now flooded shorelines of lakes in Tweedsmuir Park may have been occupied as early as 500 BC The relationship of these early occupation sites to contemporary or historic native cultures the historic period in the Central Interior dates to 1793 is one of the major problems of archaeology pre present ¬ sent cultures are likely the result of population movements into the area in the last 1500 years due to for example environmental changes for example the period from roughly 6000 BC to 3000 BC was warmer than today with the grasslands extending farther north than their present locations or sequential movements set up when groups in one area began to expand such as the westward move movement ¬ ment of Cree speaking bands across the northern prairies and woodlands about 300 years ago This movement initiated by the acquisition of guns by Crees trading into Hudsons Bay kept the west in a state of flux for centuries The archeological record reveals that about 2000 years ago a hunting and fishing subsistence pattern with large village sites of several large rectangular lodges or circular semi subterranean houses in proximity to good fishing areas had been established in the Central Interior and with regional variations continued into the historic period The subsistence cycle revolved around the fall salmon runs winter ice fishing and hunting and spring and summer hunting fishing and berry gathering Population aggrega aggregations ¬ tions and dispersals partially had economic motivations the concentrations offish resources in the fall in specific locales necessitated the cooperation of a village in the con construction ¬ struction and maintenance of a fish weir Fall villages were also focal points for ceremonial and social activities Resource exploitation during the rest of the year was car carried ¬ ried out by smaller groups perhaps two or three related familiesThe duration of occupation of the villages was a combination of several ecological factors the duration and intensity of the salmon runs and the amount dried the availability of firewood for the late fall and winter and the availability of other food resources The subsistence cycle was basically one of seasonal movements to specific resource zones within a geographical area with maximum population concentrations at the fall villages The fur trade about 200 years ago altered this pattern for some groups with a longer occupation at villages near trading posts or beaver producing areas increased trade between coastal and interior groups and a change to a hunting and trapping economy The present native inhabitants of the Central Interior the Carrier Chilcotin and Sckani Indians are members of the Athabascan language family as arc the Navajo of the southwest USA Linguistic data suggests that the Car Carrier ¬ rier and Chilcotin were part of a spread of Athabascan speaking groups from the Yukon Alaska region in the past 1500 years to 650 years The Sekani appear to moved up the Peace River into British Columbia about250 to 200years ago as part of general post trade movements initiated in part by the expansion of the Crqe Archeological sites upon which mostof the above recon reconstruction ¬ struction is based represent irreplacable information on past cultures for this reason excavation may be carried out only under a permit issued by the provincial govern government ¬ ment Sites arc also protected by law under the Archeologi Archeological ¬ cal and Historic Sites Protection Act IN PRINCE GEORGE THE CITIZEN - Friday July 27 1973 - 23A ALL FAITHS BUILD FOR THE FUTURE From its very beginning Prince George has enjoyed the Providential Blessing of Harmony among the many faiths of its citizens Joining together in the Brotherhood of Man the citizens of Prince George have laboured to create a strong moral fibre that has lasted through the years In contemplating both the past and the future Attend Regularly ST MARYS PARISH 1100 Block Freeman Street Rev O P Mohan Rev B ORourke Rev N Cooney 564 4097 ST GILES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 15th and Edmonton 564 6494 or 563 3410 or 964 4846 PENTECOSTAL TABERNACLE Corner of 5th Ave and Ospika Blvd Rev and Mrs J C OBrien Pastors 564 7425 MT TABOR PASTORAL CHARGE RR 1 Highway 16 E United Church of Canada Rev Thomas O Mercer 963 7083 GRACE BAPTIST CHAPEL 3590 Willowdale Dr Rev Mike Stuckey 962 9498 DOMANO PARISH Vanderhoof Highway 964 4559 Rev Clenaghan ST ANDREWS UNITED CHURCH 3555 - 5th Ave 563 9167 Rev Glen J Betts ST MICHAELS ALL ANGELS ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA 1505 - 5th Ave Rev B A Hart 563 8598 KNOX UNITED CHURCH 1448 - 5th Ave Rev Allan IV Dawe BABD 564 7822 CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Willow St and 20th Rev Allen Groen 563 2639 LAKEWOOD ALLIANCE CHURCH 4201 - 5th Ave at Ospika Pastor H L Weaver 563 5237 SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH 887 Patricia Blvd Oblate Fathers 562 2300 Prince George EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH 5th at Wainwright St Phone 564 5889 Pastor Rev C Deitrick Phone 564 7863 ST GEORGES UKRAINIAN CHURCH 4th and Brunswick Rev B Galarnyk Pastor 564 4214 our Heritage of lasting Brotherhood enables us to say without fear of contradiction that Prince George is indeed an example of what can be when people of many beliefs join together to build a Heritage for our youth Providence has indeed smiled upon Prince George and will continue to do so as our churches expand to meet the growing variety of faiths in our com community ¬ munity njfeif I