Snokomish facts for kids
The Snokomish were a Coast Salish people who spoke a language called Halkomelem. Their traditional lands were mainly around the Boundary Bay area. This area included the mouths of three rivers: the Nicomekl River, Serpentine River, and Campbell River.
The Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers flow into Mud Bay, which is the western part of Boundary Bay. This is north of where Crescent Beach is today. The Little Campbell River (also known as Campbell Creek or Campbell River, Surrey, British Columbia) flows into Semiahmoo Bay, the eastern part of Boundary Bay. The Little Campbell River meets the ocean near the Semiahmoo First Nation's reserve lands, very close to the modern city of White Rock, British Columbia.
The Snokomish were also known as the Derby people. Their territory also stretched along a part of the Fraser River, near Derby, British Columbia. This area was close to the beginning of the Serpentine River (you can see this area at Tynehead Regional Park, Surrey British Columbia and Derby Reach, British Columbia). This was also the original spot of Fort Langley.
The Snokomish people spoke a specific type of Halkomelem called 'Downriver' dialect, rather than 'Upriver' or 'Island' dialects. Their particular dialect was known as 'Nicomekl'.
Who Were the Snokomish People?
The Snokomish were part of the larger Coast Salish group of Indigenous peoples. They lived in what is now British Columbia, Canada. Their culture and way of life were deeply connected to the rivers and bays in their territory. They used these waterways for travel, fishing, and gathering food.
What Happened to the Snokomish?
Around 1850, a serious illness greatly reduced the Snokomish population. After this, some of the surviving Snokomish people joined their neighbors, the Semiahmoo. The Semiahmoo's territory was just to the south. They took over the coastal parts of the Snokomish lands. The remaining Snokomish territory became part of what is now Kwantlen territory.
Today, families among the Semiahmoo who have Snokomish ancestors still have special rights to the mouths of the Nicomekl, Serpentine, and Campbell Rivers. It is also believed that other Snokomish survivors joined other Halkomelem-speaking groups. These groups include the Tsawwassen First Nation, Katzie First Nation, and Kwantlen First Nation.
