Katzie facts for kids
The Katzie First Nation is a group of Indigenous people living in British Columbia, Canada. They are located in the Fraser Valley, near the Fraser River. The Katzie are part of the larger Coast Salish group. Long ago, European settlers sometimes called them "Fraser River Indians." The Katzie First Nation has its own government. It is separate from other Sto:lo tribal councils.
The Katzie Language
The Katzie people speak a special language called həṅq̓əmín̓əḿ. This language is a dialect of Halkomelem, which is part of the Coast Salish language family. Even though there were efforts to stop Indigenous languages, like the Canadian Indian residential school system, many Katzie people still speak həṅq̓əmín̓əḿ today.
Katzie Lands and Governance
The traditional lands of the Katzie people are very large. They include the whole Pitt Lake area, the Alouette River watershed, and parts of the Fraser River. Their territory also stretches down to Point Roberts and between the Fraser River and Boundary Bay.
Today, there are about 592 members of the Katzie First Nation. This number includes people living on and off their reserves. About 302 members currently live on their five reserves. The Katzie First Nation government works to manage their lands and support their community.
Origins of the Katzie People
Long ago, the Katzie people lived in five main communities. Each community had its own founding chief. The Katzie believe that these communities were the start of other groups in the region. This includes the Musqueam and Kwantlen peoples.
- Oe’lecten and his people lived near what is now Pitt Lake.
- Swaneset and his people were based at Sheridan Hill.
- Xwoe’pecten lived at Port Hammond. Their descendants later became the Kwantlen people.
- Smakwec lived at Point Roberts, Washington. Many of their people, the Snokomish, were lost due to a serious illness in the 1700s.
- C’simlenexw lived at West Point Grey. Their descendants became the Musqueam people.
Today, most Katzie people are descendants of the Oe’lecten and Swaneset communities.
