Mᑫuqʷin/Brooks Peninsula Park

Explorer Captain Cook called Brooks Peninsula, located on northwest Vancouver Island, the “cape of storms”, however this provincial park also offers shelter, sandy beaches and a world-class wilderness experience to visitors.

On July 13, 2009 an agreement was reached between British Columbia and the Che:k’tles7et’h’ peoples to rename Brooks Peninsula Provincia Park to Mquqᷱin / Brooks Peninsula Park. The dual name celebrates the First Nations’ connection with the history and culture of the park. The word Mquqᷱin means “The Queen” in the Nuu-Chah-Nulth language.

Audio Files: Mquqᷱin was recorded by Hereditary Chief of the Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nation Tyee Francis Gillette.

How to pronounce Mquqᷱin [M4A]The park also falls within the boundaries of the Quatsino First Nation, who support the renaming plan. This area is spiritually significant to these First Nations, and has long served as the traditional hunting and fishing grounds for the Che:k’tles7et’h’ peoples.

The unique geography of Brooks Peninsula offers everything from inter-tidal marine life to a sub-alpine mountain environment. This peninsula is distinctive in that it is the only part of Vancouver Island unaffected by the last ice age. Today, this coastal glacial refugium is home to a variety of rare plant species and unique geologic formations, providing unparalleled opportunities for scientific study.

Recreational opportunities include hiking, kayaking, boating and wildlife viewing. Visitors can see a variety of marine mammals in the area, including gray whales, sea lions and sea otters. Seabirds, including rhinoceros auklets and marbled murrelets, are found in abundance in this park, which features miles of remote, uninhabited sandy beaches and an old growth coastal rain forest.

Access to the adjacent Ecological Reserve on Solander Island is prohibited.