Origin Notes and History:
Keeshan - an Ohiat village or fort, deserted since the 1880's, and the namesake of the Indian Reserve established here. Keeshan IR 9 extinguished per the provisions of the Maa-nulth Treaty, effective 1 April 2011; at the same time Kiix-in (Former First Nation Village) will be adopted, being the preferred modern spelling for this ancient site.
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office
The name Keeshan refers to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks (see note below). "Keeshan is the principle summer residence of the Ohiat tribe..." (Peter Reilly, Indian Reserve Commissioner, 1882). The modern spelling is Kiix-in (pronounced KEE-shun), designated a National Historic Site in 1999 or 2000 (Traveller magazine, Spring 2000, including photographs, file B.1.39).
Source: included with note
A bluff or promontory provided a measure of protection against invading tribes, although, according to legend, the inhabitants of Keeshan were wiped out on several occasions. Invading Indians threw their victims over the cliff onto the rocks below, hence the name 'Execution Rock'. The sea has carved a hole right through this massive rock, and the sounds of water as it ebbs and flows through this cavern are strange and mysterious. Legends say that an upright shaft extended from this cavern to the top of the promontory, forming an escape route for beleagured defenders. (photos p.141, 252). See also The Story of Execution Rock (ibid, pp 253-6).
Source: Scott, R. Bruce; Barkley Sound: A History of Pacific Rim National Park; Fleming Press, Victoria, 1972