Seabird Island First Nation facts for kids
The Seabird Island First Nation, also known as the Seabird Island Band, is a community of the Sto:lo people. Their traditional name is Halkomelem: Sq'éwqel. They live on Sea Bird Island in the Upper Fraser Valley in Canada. This island is about 3 kilometers east of Agassiz, British Columbia. The Seabird Island Band is part of the Stó:lō Tribal Council.
The Seabird Island Band is a busy First Nations community. It includes its own government, businesses, and many services for its people.
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History of Seabird Island
The story of the Seabird Indian Band began over 130 years ago. In June 1879, a man named Gilbert Malcolm Sproat worked for the Indian Reserve Commission. He talked with First Nations people to find new land for them.
He chose the island known as Skow-a-kull, which is correctly spelled Sq'éwqel. This island became a reserve for people from several communities. These included Popkum, Skw'átits, Ohamil, Ska-wah-look, Hope, Union Bar, and Yale. Their old lands could not grow enough crops. Seabird Island had rich soil and was a good place for families to live.
The people of Seabird Island speak a mix of Halq'eméylem and Thompson language. The Halq'eméylem name, Sq'éwqel, means "Turn in the River." The English name, Seabird Island, came from an event in June 1858. A paddle-wheeler boat called the SS Sea Bird got stuck on a sandbar in the Fraser River. This happened across from the island.
Community Services
The Seabird Indian Band offers many important services to its members. They do this through agreements with other First Nations groups. These services help people of all ages.
Here are some of the services they provide:
- Lalme' Iwesawtexw (House of Learning) Elementary and Secondary School (also called Seabird Island Community School)
- Lalme' Iwesawtexw (House of Learning) Adult Education
- Seabird College
- Employment Centre
- Doctor's Office
- Dental Clinic
- Fitness Centre
- Mental Health & Wellness Centre
- Housing, Construction and Capital Projects
- Mobile Diabetes Project
- Youth Home
- Family Home
- Recovery Home
- Aboriginal Infant Development
- Bus for Education and Aboriginal Resources
- Daycare
- Maternal and Child Health
- Halq'emeylem Immersion Preschool
- Speech and Language
- Head Start
- Supported Child Development
- Seabird Wi-fi
- Graphic Communications and Promotions
- Fire Department
- EcoStation Composting Facility
How the Government Works
The Seabird Island Band is led by one Chief and a Council. The Council used to have nine members, but in 2017, it changed to eight. The Chief and Council work together to represent the Seabird Island Band. They speak for their community at local, provincial, and national levels.
They work closely with the Stó:lō Tribal Council, the First Nation Summit, and the Assembly of First Nations. The current Chief is James Harris.
Elections for Leaders
Any member of the Seabird Island Band who is 18 years old or older can vote. The Chief is chosen by getting the most votes from the community. Both the Chief and the Councilors serve for two years.
Seabird Island First Nations Festival
The Seabird Island First Nations Festival started in May 1969. It was created by Grand Chief Archie Charles and his wife Mary Charles. Today, this festival celebrates the many different cultures and talents of First Nations people.
Each year, about 9,000 visitors come to the festival. There are entertainers, players, War Canoe-pullers, volunteers, and sponsors. The festival hosts exciting tournaments. These include Ball Hockey, Soccer, War Canoe racing, and Slahal.
The Seabird Island First Nations Festival happens every year on the last full weekend in May.
Technology and Connectivity
In 2007, the Seabird Island Band did something amazing. They worked with Siemens and BelAir Networks to launch a wireless mesh network. This network covered the entire Seabird Island community.
This made the Seabird Island Band the first First Nations community in Canada to have such a system. The wireless network gave everyone fast internet access. It helped with homes, schools, and businesses. Before 2007, most people could only use slow dial-up internet. Only the main community area had high-speed internet.
Building Sustainable Homes
In 2004, the Seabird Island Band started an exciting project. They began building sustainable community housing. These homes use new, green technologies. Some features were even the first of their kind in the world.
The Sustainable Housing project gave band members better homes. These homes use less energy and are more affordable. They also need less maintenance and have lower heating and electricity costs. This is all thanks to the advanced technology used.
This special housing project is part of the Seabird Island Band's "Sustainable Community Plan." The main idea behind this plan is to design neighborhoods in a smart way. This helps reduce costs and protect the environment. It also creates a great place to live now and for many years to come.
