British Columbia First Nations History & Background

“Aboriginal” is a collective name for the indigenous peoples of Canada and is used to refer to the original or 'First' peoples of this land and their descendants. The term is used in the same way that the term 'Native Americans' and 'American Indians' is used to denote indigenous peoples in the U.S.A.

Within Canada, there are three groups of Aboriginal peoples, all with a unique aboriginal culture - First Nations, Métis and Inuit. These are three separate peoples with unique history, heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

Throughout Canada, there are societies (or bands) of Aboriginal people who share the same geographic, political or Aboriginal culture and linguistic lines. They are referred to as First Nations. On occasion, the term 'Native Canadian' and "Native" is also used to refer to a First Nation person in Canada. Historically, the term "Indian" had been used, however this term is seldom used today.

The Métis people historically emerged out of the relations of First Nations women and European men, as well as subsequent intermarriages between Métis women and Métis men. They have a shared history, common culture and a unique Michif language with various regional dialects.

In British Columbia there is over 200 distinct First Nation communities and a strong Métis presence - more than in any other province or territory in Canada - and each with its own art, language, culture and traditions, makes exploring British Columbia so fascinating. As you travel through the province you will pass through the traditional lands of the Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Nisga, Dene, Nuu-chah-nulth, Sto:lõ, Squamish, Secwepemc, Okanagan and Ktunaxa, to name just a few.

For additional information on First Nations within British Columbia, click here.

Chinook Jargon – The West Coast’s Universal Language of Trading

Kla-how-`eya means ‘Welcome’ in Chinook Jargon. Chinook was the language of trading, used extensively by First Nations throughout the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the United States, to facilitate trading between indigenous groups, as well as with Europeans. “Jargon" is a simplistic language made up of words from two or more different languages and used as a common language between people who do not speak the same language.

Chinook has very simple grammar, facilitating quick learning, which synthesizes vocabulary from several languages. It includes words from many different tribal groups, as well as English and French. There are no verb conjugations or noun declensions. Today, we hear many of these words incorporated into place names or used as descriptive:

• Cultus: worthless, bad
• Hyack: quick, hurry
• Mesachie: bad
• Sag-ha-lie: up, above, heaven
• Si-wash: native person
• Skookum: strong
• Tillicum: friend
• Tyee: chief

Some scholars theorize that the Chinook language was created when Europeans arrived to facilitate communications with them. Others believe that it was developed long before, to facilitate trading and negotiations with other tribes without knowing the many languages or requiring an interpreter. Since archeological findings clearly indicate many tribes traveled far from home territory to trade beads, furs, and food, it seems quite likely it was developed long in advance of European contact. Either way, it is clear that the language incorporated English and French words after contact and spread further afield through the shared use with Europeans.

The Chinook jargon used by Europeans became further simplified, with fewer consonant clusters used by many first nations, and more English and French words added. By the end of the nineteenth century Chinook was used extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest. European settlers learned it; missionaries gave sermons in the Chinook language, and published hymns, prayers, and catechisms in it. In the late 1800's, Roman Catholic missionaries created a writing system for Chinook by adapting a French shorthand system.

Visit British Columbia and learn more about the rich history, aboriginal culture and heritage of the First Nations of the province.