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The Indian (Indigenous) people of the Similkameen valley have a history with the land that spans thousands of years in and through theareas in what is now Washington and in British Columbia. The area they origianlly travelled from Brewster Washington over to Montana, up to Arrow Lakes in British Columbia and through the Similkameeen Valley west to Hope. The Similkameen people also fished and spent time in the Lytton and Spences Bridge areas.

Language
Official language of the Similkameen people is the Smilkamix language. This language has been replaced by the Okangan (Syilx) Language due to the number of deaths of community members in the small pox epidemic that occured in the 1800's.

Many of the Similkameen poeple could converse or understand the following languages
Okanagan
Thompson
Methow
Flathead
Chinook was the Traders Language used by indigenous and non indigenous peoples.

The Similkameen people could also understand Suswap language.

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Mary Narcisse
Post Modern, 1910-1920
Chopaka BC Canada

Credits:
Margaret Kruger

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Village Sites

Original encampments were chosen strategically. The areas had to have look out points so that the people could guard against intruders. Wood supply, water supply and food sources were important to the the Similkameen people. The existence of hunting areas and supplies of roots and berries had to be considered to sustain the people as they lived seasonally.

Some of the better known village sites were:

Driscoe Island
Palmer Lake
Ashnola to Chopaka (along creeks and rivers)
Ollala
Princeton (along creeks and rivers throughout the valley)
Skagit
Hope
Tulameen

To this day, there are new and continued findings and evidence of encampments and travels of the people. These are being re-discovered through modern archeological practices.

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Dwellings

Pithouses made of wood, hemp and mud
Tule Shelters were made of reeds, wood and hemp.
Ntamplken lodges were made of reeds, wood and hemp rope
Summer Lodges were made of poles and fir boughs
Winter Kickwillies were made of poles, grass, bark, tules and hides and later canvas

Modern dwellings were Log homes and stick built homes.

During Hunting season, the people would build lean to structures as a means of temporary shelter.

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Pierre John and Dan Tuma playing an accordian and a trumpet
1890 to 1905
Hedley BC, Canada

Credits:
Lower Similkameen Indian Band

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Traditional Form of Dress

Buckskin clothing made from the hides of deer, elk, and moose.
Cedar hats, skirts, cloaks were made from cedar roots.
Grass and Hemp Clothing were made from the grasses and hemp plants native to the area.
Fur Garments were made from the animals that were trapped in the area.
Chiefs Head-dress was a round head-dress adorned with eagle feathers.
Decorative Formal- Dentallia shells, abalone, buckskin gloves and beads.

Ceremonial Practices
Sweatlodge used for cleansing and for spiritual purposes
Potlatches were carried out as a social function, for community gatherings and for ceremonial purposes
Healing
Rights of passage training was carried out for young men and young women

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Governance
Originally there was a Hereditary Chieftainship line within the greater community.

Later each village of the community which included, Chopaka, Similkameen, Ashnola, Chuchuwayha and Tulameen, Palmer Lake was led by a Chief that took care of the needs of that particular part of the community. For Chiefs to maintain control, they had to have the saction of the tribe.

A group of advisors known as the wise men and women or the good men and women helped the Chiefs with decisions and with discipline of the people. The discipline of the people. The discipline of the people was strict and maintained a high standard of conduct that earned community respect. In the event that drastic measures were to be taken, discipline somtimes resulted in banishment from the community for a set period of time or banishment for a lifetime.

Children were disciplined at an early age, particularily if they were appointed to be future leaders, advisors or warriors.

The Canadian Federal Government changed the original governance system to an election system. Under the regulations of the Indian Act there is to be one Chief per community. There is to be one Council Member for every 100 people after the initial 100 that substaniates the Chief's position. The Community later changed the election system to a staggered term election system to meet the current system and to integrate a form of its own governance. The new system elects 2 positions of the 4 every 2 years so that the terms are staggered. Each Chief or Concil representative sits in the elected position for a 4 year term.

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Chief Joseph Louie
1940's
Susap Creek near Cawston BC

Credits:
Lower Similkameen Indian Band

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Bobby Allison (Kesous), Johnny Holmes and Joe Dennis
1950's
Vancouver BC Canada

Credits:
Carrie Allison

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Grand Chief Barnett Allison (Paklpelakin)
1983-1984
Chopaka BC Canada

Credits:
Betty Terbasket

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Lore and Legend
The region and the valley is wrought with sites where one of our many teachers Coyote (better known as trickster) played out his antics always wanting more for the people but often falling short due to his own egotistical and self motivated ways.

In the time before human existence, Coyote was responsible to prepare the lands for our peoples arrival. He was the character that gathered the animal people together to decide what was to become of the people. Information of this occurence can be found in the story "How food was given". He connected the original interior plains people through establishing relationship in and amongst the tribes. This information is found in the story "How Coyote Brought Salmon". Information can be obtained from the Nation's "Enowkin Centre" which is the Cultural and Education centre of the Okanagan people. The Enowkin Centre is located in Penticton B.C.

Many of these relationships were further developed as people evolved to need the resources the animal people provided for them.

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Mining
The Similkameen people have a long history of use of natural resources of the area in terms of mining its valuable resources. Originally people relied on such minerals and quarry products as:

Jade-women's pipestone and use in accessorizing dress.
Cobalt-used to make implements and tools.
Ochre-used as a paint and for ceremonial purposes. Was amongst the highest valued trade goods.
Flint Rock-used to make spears, tomahowks and arrowhead.
Soapstone-used for carving.
Copper-used to make necklaces, used in regalia making and was a trade item.
Clay-was a trade commodity between Nations. It was an important material used in food preparation.
Cobbled bedrock for food and medicine corn crushers.
Volcanic rock used in the sweatlodge.

Gold-was not used by the Similkameen people as its properties were considered a bad omen. Historically all Similkameen people who used the gold either died or their families came upon harm or hurt in some way.

As Similkameen people understood the importance of natural resources, they have maintained a close connection to the land.

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Lands

Similkamix people were originally a nomadic people that moved from locations in accordance with the availaibilty of foods and the climate of the area. Time was also spent between communities. It was not unusual for families from another area for months at a time. Many of the communities could do this as there was much inter-marriage between communities; thus a large extended family spanned between Nations throughout the interior.

Amongst those that travelled between communities were the runners, they also kept information flowing between tribal groups of people.

The following is an example of some (though not exhaustive) of the nomadic areas often spoken of.

January Tulameen winter camp grounds (deer hunting)
Women camped at Camp de Femme north end of lake (Frembd Lake)
Men camped at the south end of the lake.
Lorne Lake (original Similkameen River channel) (spuklic)
February Palmer Lake-fishing (ling cod and trout)
March Palmer Lake-fishing (ling cod and trout)
April Chopaka (roots)
May Spotted Lake, Kilpoola, Ashnola, White Lake (roots), Falkland, Enloe Dam, Palmer Lake-Bull Frog Mountain (ling cod and trout)
June Kilpoola (deer hunting) Molson Washington
July Ashnola (deer hunting and berry picking)
August Paul Creek to Sterling Creek berry picking and root digging
September Lytton, Douglas Lake, Princeton flats Roots
October Smith Creek and John's Creek Hunting
November Tulameen-Lake de Femme and Otter Lake
Winter Camp grounds (deer hunting)
December Tulameen Winter Camp

Spring burns were a method of traditional environmental enhancement.

The people were aware of the importance of sustainability and living in accordance with preservation of their traditional hunting grounds. For this reason, there was a disciplined practice of rotating picking picking or hunting grounds over a period of time. There were individual who were responsible for monitoring the food sources, to ensure they were not over picked or over used.

This is evident to this day, where one need only view the pristine condition of lands were the Similkamix people reside and the backcountry where they have resumed their responsibility as caretakers of the land.

Prior to contact there is much history of tribal peoples being reliant upon each other to provide the material and food staple needs.

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Bobby Allison and Ben Louis
1940's
Hedley BC, Canada

Credits:
Carrie Allison