Skway First Nation facts for kids
The Skway First Nation, also known officially as Shxwhá:y Village, is a group of Stó:lō people. They live in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Their home is close to the city of Chilliwack.
The Skway First Nation is a band government. This means they have their own local government. They make decisions for their community, much like a town council.
Traditionally, the Skway people speak a language called Halkomelem. It's the Upriver dialect of this language. Halkomelem is part of the larger Salishan language family.
The Skway First Nation is also part of the Sto:lo Nation. This is a larger group of Stó:lō communities working together. It's important not to confuse them with the Skwah First Nation. The Skwah First Nation lives in the same area but is a different community.
Their Land: Indian Reserves
First Nations in Canada have special areas of land called Indian Reserves. These lands are set aside for their communities. The Skway First Nation manages three of these reserves:
- Grass Indian Reserve No. 15: This reserve is about half a mile southeast of Chilliwack. It covers an area of 64.8 hectares.
- Skumalasph Indian Reserve No. 16: This land is about 6 miles northwest of Chilliwack. It is much larger, at 468.4 hectares.
- Skway Indian Reserve No. 5: Located 2 miles west of Chilliwack, this reserve is 255 hectares. This is where Skway Village is located.
The Skway First Nation also shares another reserve called Peckquaylis. They share it with 20 other First Nations. This land used to be the St. Mary's Indian Residential School. Today, it is a busy center for culture, government, and Indigenous businesses. It is located near Mission.
Working Towards Treaties
The Skway First Nation is involved in the British Columbia Treaty Process. This is a way for First Nations and the governments of Canada and British Columbia to make agreements. These agreements are called treaties. They help decide things like land rights, resources, and how First Nations can govern themselves.
The Skway First Nation, along with the rest of the Sto:lo Nation, is currently at Stage 4 of this process. This means they are working on the details of their treaty agreements.
