Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc facts for kids

Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc (pronounced tkʼəmˈlups tə səˈxʷɛpəmx), also known as TteS, is a First Nations government. It was once called the Kamloops Indian Band. This group is part of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council. This council includes ten of the seventeen Secwepemc band governments. All these groups live in the southern Central Interior of British Columbia. Their lands are near the Thompson and Shuswap areas. Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc is one of the largest of these 17 groups. These groups were formed when the Colony of British Columbia created the Indian reserve system in the 1860s.

The leader of TteS is called the Kúkpi7.

History of the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc

Ancient Lands and Early Life

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, the Secwepemc people lived on a large area of land. This land was about 145,000 square kilometers (56,000 square miles). They called their traditional territory Secwepemcúl̓ecw. Their language is called Secwepemctsín.

The Secwepemc settlement of Tkʼemlups was very important. Its name means "river junction." It was a key trading and economic center. This was because it was located where the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River meet. Both rivers were easy to travel on. When Europeans settled here, they used the native name. They called it Kamloops, which became the name of Fort Kamloops. This fort was a main trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company.

Important Leaders and Changes

Leaders from the Kamloops band of Secwepemc played a big role in the history of British Columbia. Around 1800, a chief named Kwaʼlila invited his nephew, Nicola, to the Nicola Valley. Nicola then became the chief of Kamloops. He was also a Grand Chief for the Okanagan people.

Nicola was a leader during the Fraser Canyon War. He also helped with issues on the Okanagan Trail. Governor James Douglas made Nicola a magistrate. This meant Nicola helped enforce British law. Nicola's son, Chilliheetza, was also important in the 1800s. Other notable chiefs from that time include Chief Tranquille and Chief Lolo.

Impact of European Settlement

The land that became TteS was part of the North West Company's territory. This company defined its western territory in 1815. At first, the company tried to get local Indigenous people to hunt and trap. When this did not work, they brought in Haudenosaunee people from Montreal. The company hoped they would teach the local people how to hunt and trap. This led to some fights between the North West Company and local Indigenous people in the 1810s.

Kamloops Indian Residential School

The Kamloops Indian Residential School was built on the Nation's land in 1890. The Catholic Church ran it until 1969. It was part of the Canadian Indian residential school system. After 1969, the Canadian government took over the school. It was then used as a day school. At one point, this school was the largest in the residential school system. Up to 500 students attended at a time.

The school closed in 1978. The building is still there, near the South Thompson River. In May 2021, the remains of 215 children were found buried at the site. Some of these children were as young as three years old. The Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc Nation is working to find records of these deaths. They are also helping community members whose families attended the school. This discovery was made using ground-penetrating radar. More investigation and excavation work is planned.

Modern Community and Economy

The city of Kamloops is now a large urban center. It has about 92,000 residents. The business area of the Kamloops Indian Band works closely with the city's economy. However, the Band manages its own businesses separately. The Sun Rivers golf course and resort community is located on the main Kamloops Reserve.

Community and People

The Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc Band has 1,412 members. Some live on their reserve lands, and others live elsewhere. The Band has active programs to keep their language and culture strong. Their Skʼelep School of Excellence is one of the largest First Nations elementary schools in British Columbia. Skʼelep is the Secwepemctsín name for "the Trickster," also known as Coyote.

Indian Reserves

The Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc (TteS) manages several Indian Reserves. These are special areas of land set aside for the First Nation.

• Kamloops Indian Reserve No. 1: This is the largest reserve. It is located where the South and North Thompson Rivers meet. It is next to and partly inside the City of Kamloops. It covers about 13,283 hectares (51¼ square miles). When people say "Kamloops Indian Reserve," they usually mean this one. The community of Sun Rivers, British Columbia is on this reserve.
• Kamloops Indian Reserve No. 2: This reserve is at the outlet of Trapp Lake. It is about 6 hectares (15 acres) in size.
• Kamloops Indian Reserve No. 3: This reserve is on the west shore of Trapp Lake. It covers about 3 hectares (7.4 acres).
• Kamloops Indian Reserve No. 4: This reserve is on the right bank of the North Thompson River. It is about 24 miles north of Kamloops. It covers about 72.8 hectares (180 acres).
• Kamloops Indian Reserve No. 5: This reserve is on the north shore of Heffley Lake. It covers about 18.6 hectares (46 acres).
• Hihium Lake 6: This reserve is shared by several First Nations. These include the Upper Nicola, Lower Nicola, Bonaparte, and Tkʼemlúps (Kamloops) Bands. It is about 78 acres in size.