Sumas First Nation facts for kids
The Sumas First Nation (called Sema:th in Halkomelem) is a group of the Sto:lo people. They live in the Upper Fraser Valley area of British Columbia, Canada. Their main community is in Kilgard, which is part of Abbotsford. The Sumas First Nation is a member of the Sto:lo Nation tribal council.
The official language of the Sumas First Nation is Halq'eméylem.
Contents
Who Are the Sumas First Nation?
The Sumas First Nation are part of the larger Sto:lo people. They have lived in the Fraser Valley for a very long time. Before 1962, they were sometimes called Sumas (Kilgard). It's important to know they are different from the Leqʼ a꞉ mel people, who were also sometimes called Sumas before 1962.
What Does "Sumas" Mean?
The name "Sumas" comes from a Cowichan tribe. It means "big flat opening" or "land without trees." This name describes the flat, open land where they live.
Their Traditional Language
The traditional language of the Sumas First Nation is Halq'eméylem. This language is an important part of their culture and history.
A Look at Sumas Lake's History
The Sumas First Nation traditionally lived near the Sumas Prairie. They used Sumas Lake as a very important resource. They called it "our supermarket, our shopping center." This means the lake provided them with food, materials, and everything they needed for daily life.
How the Lake Changed
Many years ago, the lake was drained by early settlers. They wanted to use the land under the lake for farming. When the lake was drained, the Sumas First Nation was moved to a nearby reserve. This allowed the settlers to use the rich soil from the lakebed. The First Nation's reserve land is on higher ground near the Prairie. Because of this, they did not have to leave their homes when the former lake area flooded in November 2021.
How the Sumas First Nation is Governed
The Sumas First Nation has its own way of governing their community. They use a special system to choose their leaders. This system is called a custom electoral system. The current chief, who is like their main leader, is Dalton Silver.
Their Leaders and Decisions
The leaders of the Sumas First Nation make decisions for their community. They work to protect their people's rights and traditions. They also manage community projects and businesses.
Sumas First Nation Today
Today, the Sumas First Nation continues to thrive. They manage their land and work on new projects for their community.
Land and Community
The Sumas First Nation's reserve land covers about 245.3 hectares. In 2021, a large piece of land (60 hectares) near the Fraser River Heritage Park was given to the Sumas, Leq’á:mel, and Matsqui First Nations. This land used to be the site of the St. Mary's Indian Residential School. Even though this land is not a reserve, it is still important to the First Nations. Most of it is leased back to the government to be used as a park. This land also has very old archaeological sites from before European contact.
Businesses and Future
The Sumas First Nation band council runs several businesses. One example is Semath Industries. These businesses help support the community and create jobs.
See also
- Sumas River
- Sumas Lake
- Sumas Prairie
- Sumas, Washington
- Sumas (disambiguation)
