Description
The Secwepemc, known in English as the Shuswap people, are a First Nations people residing in the interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia. They speak one of the Salishan languages, known as Secwepemc or Shuswap. Secwepemculecw, the traditional territory or country of the Shuswap people, ranges from the eastern Chilcotin Plateau, bordering Tsilhqot'in Country, and the Cariboo Plateau southeast through Thompson Country to Kamloops. It spans the Selkirk Mountains and Big Bend of the Columbia River to include the northern part of the Columbia Valley region. Their traditional territory covers approximately 145,000 square kilometres. Traditionally, they depended on hunting, trading and fishing to support their communities.
Language
They speak one of the Salishan languages.
Culture
The Secwepemc have always stressed the importance of recognizing their title to the land. In 1910, the Secwepemc Chiefs addressed a memorial to Prime Minister Laurier. Their paper laid out the cumulative grievances of the Secwepemc, based on the previous 50 years of European-Canadian settlement in their territory. Since the late 20th century, the Secwepmc people have created a number of organizations, institutions, and initiatives to help their people, including the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council and Secwepemc Cultural Education Society. Captive slaves were historically an important commodity to the Secwepemc, and the Secwepemc would raid other bands, and then sell the captives back in exchange for salmon. Very few captives were kept as household slaves.