Cheam First Nation facts for kids
The Cheam Indian Band (pronounced "CHEE-am") is a First Nation community located in the beautiful Upper Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada. They live near a place called Rosedale.
The Cheam people are part of the larger Stó:lō group, who have lived in this area for thousands of years. Their traditional language is called Halkomelem, specifically the Upriver dialect. This language is part of the Salishan family of languages, spoken by many Indigenous peoples in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.
The name Cheam means "wild strawberry place," which shows how important the land and its natural foods are to their culture. The community is overlooked by a tall mountain called Mount Cheam, which also gets its name from this special word.
The Cheam Indian Band is a member of the Sto:lo Tribal Council. This council helps different Sto:lo communities work together on important issues.
Where the Cheam People Live
The Cheam Indian Band manages two special areas of land called reserves. These reserves are located on the north shore of Cheam Lake. About 354 people live on these reserves, while another 200 members of the Cheam community live in other places off the reserve.
How the Cheam Band Governs Itself
Like other First Nations, the Cheam Indian Band has its own government that makes decisions for its community. This is called a band government. They work to protect their culture, land, and the well-being of their people.
The Cheam Indian Band, along with other members of the Sto:lo Tribal Council, has chosen not to take part in the current British Columbia Treaty Process. This process is a way for First Nations and the governments of Canada and British Columbia to make agreements about land rights and self-governance. The Cheam Band has decided to find other ways to assert their rights and manage their affairs.
