Kwikwetlem First Nation
Encyclopedia
The Kwikwetlem First Nation, also known as the Coquitlam Indian Band, is the band government of the Kwikwetlem people, a Sto:lo
people living in the Coquitlam area of British Columbia
, Canada
. They traditionally speak the Downriver dialect of Halkomelem, one of the Salishan
family of languages. The name Kwikwetlem means "red fish up the river".
The nation is made up of two reserves, a small 2.6 hectare site at the mouth of the Coquitlam River
where it drains into the Fraser River
, and a much larger 82 hectare site approximately 2 km north. About one third of all Kwikwetlem members live on the reserves, while the rest reside throughout Western Canada and the United States.
Stó:lo
The Sto:lo , alternately written as Stó:lō, Stó:lô or Stó:lõ and historically as Staulo or Stahlo, and historically known and commonly referred to in ethnographic literature as the Fraser River Indians or Lower Fraser Salish, are a group of First Nations peoples inhabiting the Fraser Valley of...
people living in the Coquitlam area of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They traditionally speak the Downriver dialect of Halkomelem, one of the Salishan
Salishan languages
The Salishan languages are a group of languages of the Pacific Northwest...
family of languages. The name Kwikwetlem means "red fish up the river".
The nation is made up of two reserves, a small 2.6 hectare site at the mouth of the Coquitlam River
Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River is located in between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in the Metro Vancouver. This river is a tributary for the Fraser River. Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River. There is a reservoir near the...
where it drains into the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
, and a much larger 82 hectare site approximately 2 km north. About one third of all Kwikwetlem members live on the reserves, while the rest reside throughout Western Canada and the United States.
Government
The band is led by an elected council, with the current term running from May 1, 2006 to April 30, 2009:- ChiefTribal chiefA tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
: Percy Cunningham - Councillor: George Chaffee
- Councillor: Evan Schmitt
Indian Reserves
Indian Reserves under the administration of the Kwikwetlem First Nation are:- Coquitlam Indian Reserve No. 1: 2.6 hectares (6.4 acre)
- Coquitlam Indian Reserve No. 2: 81.9 hectares (202.4 acre)