Nlaka'pamux

The Nlaka'pamux (IPA|nɬeʔképmx), 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 Interior Salish ethnicity in southern British Columbia. Their traditional territory includes parts of the North Cascades region of Washington.

Other names

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filename=Dance Song of the Thompson River Indians.ogg
title=Dance Song of the Thompson River Indians
description= Phonograph cylinder recording of song by Nlaka'pamux in British Columbia, 1897.
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Frontier-era histories and maps transliterate the name Nlaka'pamux as Hakamaugh or Klackarpun; they were also known as the Couteau, Kootomin [Kootomin is a nativized variant of the French "couteau"] or Knife Indians.

The Nlaka'pamux of the Nicola Valley, who are all in the Nicola Tribal Association reserves refer to themselves Scw'exmx and speak a different dialect of the Thompson language. Together with the Spaxomin people, a branch of the Okanagan people (Syilx) who live in the upper Nicola valley and also belong to the Nicola Tribal Association, they are collectively known as the Nicola people, or Nicolas.

Religion

The Nlaka'pamux were the object of both Episcopalian and Roman Catholic missionary efforts in the nineteenth century, resulting in the vast majority belonging to one of the two denominations by the beginning of the Twentieth Century. [CathEncy|wstitle=Thompson River Indians]

Governments

The Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council despite its name does not include all Nlaka'pamux people, but is one of three main tribal bodies within the region, the others being the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration and the Nicola Tribal Association. The Lytton First Nation or Lytton Band, focussed on the town of the same name, which is named Camchin or Kumsheen in the Nlaka'pamux language and is one of the largest Nlaka'pamux communities, does not belong to any of the three Tribal Association. Lower Nicola Indian band [ [http://www.lnib.net Lower Nicola Indian band homepage] ] is also independent of all and any Tribal affiliations and is located in Lower Nicola, British Columbia, Canada.

None of the Nlaka'pamux governments are in the British Columbia Treaty Commission process at present. [ [http://www.portaec.net/library/firstnations/first_nation_communities_in_bc.html List of First Communities in BC, BC Treaty Commission] ]

Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council

*Ashcroft Indian Band
*Boothroyd Indian Band
*Boston Bar Indian Band
*Oregon Jack Creek Indian Band
*Spuzzum Indian Band (also a member of the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration)

Fraser Canyon Indian Administration

*Kanaka Bar Indian Band
*Skuppah Indian Band
*Spuzzum Indian Band (also a member of the Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council
*Yale First Nation

Nicola Valley Tribal Association

*Cook's Ferry Indian Band
*Shackan Indian Band
*Nicomen Indian Band (Former member of the Fraser Canyon Indian Administration)
*Nooaitch Indian Band
*Upper Nicola Indian Band (also a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance)
*Coldwater Indian Band
*Siska Indian Band

Unaffiliated

*Lytton First Nation
*Lower Nicola First Nation

Language

The Nlaka'pamux speak an Interior Salishan language named "IPA|nɬeʔkepmxcín", usually transliterated as Nlaka'pamuxtsn and known in English as the Thompson language.

See also

*Scw'exmx
*Sxe'xn'x

Notes

Bibliography

* "Thompson River Salish Dictionary Compiled by Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson
* "They Write Their Dreams on the Rock Forever: Rock Writings in the Stein River Valley of British Columbia" (with Chris Arnett and Richard Daly
* "Spuzzum: Fraser Canyon Histories," with Andrea LaForet
* "Historical Atlas of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest", Derek Hayes, Cavendish Books, Vancouver (1999) ISBN
* "The Resettlement of British Columbia: Essays on Colonialism & Geographical Change", University of British Columbia Press; New Ed edition (January 1997) ISBN
*

* "NLakapamux Language CD by Barbara Joe(2005){Editor/Producer/Technical: Shawn E. Swakum}
* "Shackan Stories by Jim Toodlican(2006){Editor/Producer/Technical: Shawn E. Swakum}