The Scwʼexmx ( Scw̓éxmx), meaning "people of the creek(s)", are a branch of the
Nlaka'pamux (Thompson) people in the
Nicola Country of the
Canadian province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
of
British Columbia (, meaning "creek", is the name of the
Nicola River in the
Thompson language
The Thompson language, properly known as Nlaka'pamuctsin, also known as the Nlaka'pamux ('Nthlakampx') language, is an Interior Salishan language spoken in the Fraser Canyon, Thompson Canyon, Nicola Country of the Canadian province of British C ...
).
Shackan Indian Band website
/ref> Together with the neighbouring branch of the Okanagan people
The ''Syilx'' () people, also known as the Okanagan, Okanogan or Okinagan people, are a First Nations and Native American people whose traditional territory spans the Canada–US boundary in Washington state and British Columbia in the Okanagan C ...
the Spaxomin
The Upper Nicola Band is a First Nations band government in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located near the town of Merritt in the Nicola Country at Douglas Lake. Known in the Okanagan language as the Spaxomin, they are a member of bo ...
(usually Spahomin in English), who live in the upper, eastern reaches of the Nicola Valley, they are generally known in English as the Nicolas
Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to:
People Given name
* Nicolas (given name)
Mononym
* Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer
* Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer
Surname Nicolas
* Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...
. They also share governmental institutions, and their alliance dates to before the time of Chief Nicola Nicola ( – ) (Spokan language, Spokan: ''Hwistesmetxe'qen'', ''Walking Grizzly Bear''), also Nkwala or N'kwala, was an important First Nations in British Columbia, First Nations political figure in the North American fur trade, fur trade era of th ...
, for whom the river was named and whose father had led the Okanagan migration into the valley in the late 18th century. The Scw'exmx intermarried with the Okanagans, and also with the Nicola Athapaskans (Stu'wix), a now-extinct Athapaskan-speaking people who migrated into the valley in the 17th century.
Language
The Scw'exmx speak the Scw'exmx dialect of Nle'kepmxcin, known in English as the Thompson language
The Thompson language, properly known as Nlaka'pamuctsin, also known as the Nlaka'pamux ('Nthlakampx') language, is an Interior Salishan language spoken in the Fraser Canyon, Thompson Canyon, Nicola Country of the Canadian province of British C ...
. The language is now nearly extinct but as with other indigenous languages in British Columbia efforts to educate new generations in the language show hope for survival.
Communities
The main Scw'exmx communities are:
*Shackan ( Shackan First Nation)
*Shulus (Lower Nicola First Nation
Lower Nicola Indian Band ( thp, Nʔeʔiyk) is a Nlaka'pamux First Nations government, located in the Central Interior region of the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The Lower Nicola Indian Band reserve community and offices are located at S ...
)
*Nooaitch ( Nooaitch First Nation)
*Ntsla'tko ( Coldwater First Nation)
Government
Their tribal government is the Nicola Tribal Association. Other than the four governments already listed the Nicola Tribal Association includes:
* Upper Nicola First Nation – aka the Spaxomin (Douglas Lake), who are also a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance
The Okanagan Nation Alliance is a First Nations Tribal Council in the Canadian province of British Columbia, spanning the Nicola, Okanagan and Similkameen Districts of the Canadian province of British Columbia and also the Colville Indian Reserv ...
.
* Cook's Ferry First Nation near Spences Bridge
Spences Bridge is a community in the Canadian province of British Columbia, situated north east of Lytton and south of Ashcroft. At Spences Bridge the Trans-Canada Highway crosses the Thompson River. In 1892, Spences Bridge's population inclu ...
*Nicomen First Nation Nicomen First Nation ( thp, Nq’áwmn) is a Nlaka'pamux First Nations government located near Lytton, British Columbia. It is a member of the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration as well as of the Scw’exmx Tribal Council, which are two of three ...
near Lytton
*Siska First Nation The Siska Indian Band ( thp, sísqeʔ) is located in the Fraser Canyon region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was previously a member of the Scw’exmx Tribal Council, which is a tribal council of the Nlaka'pamux people. Other N ...
, in the Fraser Canyon south of Lytton
Other Nlaka'pamux bands outside the Nicola region belong to two other tribal councils:
* Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council
*Fraser Canyon Indian Administration
The Fraser Canyon Indian Administration is a First Nations tribal council government composed of five bands in the Fraser Canyon and Thompson Canyon areas of the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Other Nlaka'pamux governments belong to eit ...
See also
* Nlaka'pamux
*Thompson language
The Thompson language, properly known as Nlaka'pamuctsin, also known as the Nlaka'pamux ('Nthlakampx') language, is an Interior Salishan language spoken in the Fraser Canyon, Thompson Canyon, Nicola Country of the Canadian province of British C ...
References
{{Reflist
Nlaka'pamux
Nicola Country