Snuneymuxw First Nation
Encyclopedia
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, 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...
. The Snuneymuxw First Nation have lived along the eastern coast of south-central Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, 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...
for an estimated 5,000 years. They are a Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
people and their ancestral language is the Hul’qumi’num language.
The band's traditional territory covers 980 km², but they share 1040 km² of non-exclusive traditional territory with other First Nations of 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...
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The band now lives on four reserves
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
near Nanaimo
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has been dubbed the "Bathtub Racing Capital of the World" and "Harbour City". Nanaimo is also sometimes referred to as the "Hub City" because of its central location on Vancouver Island and due to the layout of the downtown...
Harbour and Nanaimo River. The reserves were and are the smallest per capita in British Columbia. The band's population is 1,492, but 65 percent of Snuneymuxw people live off the reserve. The Snuneymuxw First Nation is also responsible for the operation of Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
Newcastle Island is a provincial park located on a small island off the coast of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.-History:Newcastle Island has had quite a journey from a seasonal fishing site for the Coast Salish to the beautiful marine park it is today...
.
The Snuneymuxw were involved in the 1850s Douglas Treaties
Douglas Treaties
The Douglas Treaties , Vancouver Island Treaties or the Fort Victoria Treaties were a series of treaties signed between certain First Nations on Vancouver Island and the Colony of Vancouver Island.-Background:...
. Today, they continue to negotiate with the 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...
and the Government of Canada for treaty rights
Treaty rights
Treaty rights are certain rights that were reserved by Indian tribes when they signed treaties with the United States government. By signing treaties, tribes traded vast amounts of their land and resources in exchange for reserved areas of land and things like protection , health care, education,...
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Tribal Council affiliation
The Snuneymuxw First Nation is a member government of the Naut'sa mawt Tribal CouncilNaut'sa Mawt Tribal Council
Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council is a First Nation Tribal Council located in British Columbia, Canada, with offices in Tsawwassen and Nanaimo. NmTC advises and assists its 11 member Nations in the areas of Community Planning, Economic Development, Financial Management, Governance and Technical Services...
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