Lytton First Nation
Encyclopedia
The Lytton First Nation is a First Nations government headquartered at Lytton
in the Fraser Canyon
region of the Canadian province of British Columbia
. While it is the largest of all Nlaka'pamux
bands, unlike all other governments of the Nlaka'pamux
(Thompson) people, it is not a member of any of the three Nlaka'pamux tribal council
s, which are the Nicola Tribal Association
, the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration
and the Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council
.
The Lytton First Nation figure prominently in the history of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
(1858-1860) and the associated Fraser Canyon War
(1858). It was at Lytton, then still called Kumsheen, that leaders of the miners' regiments from Yale
met with the chiefs of the Nlaka'pamux to parley an end to the war. While other chiefs argued for annihilation of the outsiders, the Kumsheen chief Spintlum (Cxpentlm, aka David Spintlum) argued for peace, resulting in a series of six treaties known as the Snyder Treaties, which are lost to history.
Lytton, British Columbia
Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. The location has been inhabited by the Nlaka'pamux people for over 10,000 years, and is one of the earliest locations settled by non-natives in the Southern Interior of...
in the Fraser Canyon
Fraser Canyon
The Fraser Canyon is an 84 km landform of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
region of the Canadian province 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...
. While it is the largest of all Nlaka'pamux
Nlaka'pamux
The Nlaka'pamux , commonly called "the Thompson", and also Thompson River Salish, Thompson Salish, Thompson River Indians or Thompson River people) are an indigenous First Nations/Native American people of the Interior Salish language group in southern British Columbia...
bands, unlike all other governments of the Nlaka'pamux
Nlaka'pamux
The Nlaka'pamux , commonly called "the Thompson", and also Thompson River Salish, Thompson Salish, Thompson River Indians or Thompson River people) are an indigenous First Nations/Native American people of the Interior Salish language group in southern British Columbia...
(Thompson) people, it is not a member of any of the three Nlaka'pamux tribal council
Tribal Council
A Tribal Council is either: an association of Native American bands in the United States or First Nations governments in Canada, or the governing body for certain tribes within the United States or elsewhere...
s, which are the Nicola Tribal Association
Nicola Tribal Association
The Nicola Tribal Association is the official name of what is also known as the Nicola Tribal Council and the Nicola Valley Tribal Council, is a First Nations Tribal Council composed of bands in the Nicola Valley, Thompson Canyon and Fraser Canyon areas of the Canadian province of British Columbia...
, the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration
Fraser Canyon Indian Administration
The Fraser Canyon Indian Administration is a First Nations tribal council government composed of five bands in the Fraser Canyon and Thompson Canyon areas of the Canadian province of British Columbia....
and the Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council
Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council
The Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council, formerly the Fraser Thompson Indian Services Society, is a First Nations government Tribal Council comprising bands in the Fraser Canyon and Thompson Canyon areas of the Canadian province of British Columbia...
.
The Lytton First Nation figure prominently in the history of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River. This was a few miles upstream from the Thompson's confluence with the Fraser River at present-day Lytton...
(1858-1860) and the associated Fraser Canyon War
Fraser Canyon War
The Fraser Canyon War, also known as the Canyon War or the Fraser River War, was an incident between the Nlaka'pamux people and white miners in the newly declared Colony of British Columbia, which later became part of Canada, in 1858. It occurred during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, which brought a...
(1858). It was at Lytton, then still called Kumsheen, that leaders of the miners' regiments from Yale
Yale, British Columbia
Yale is an unincorporated town in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was founded in 1848 by the Hudson's Bay Company as Fort Yale by Ovid Allard, the appointed manager of the new post, who named it after his superior, James Murray Yale, then Chief Factor of the Columbia District...
met with the chiefs of the Nlaka'pamux to parley an end to the war. While other chiefs argued for annihilation of the outsiders, the Kumsheen chief Spintlum (Cxpentlm, aka David Spintlum) argued for peace, resulting in a series of six treaties known as the Snyder Treaties, which are lost to history.