About Kwikwetlem First Nation

kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation are a distinct BC First Nation whose traditional territory centers on the Coquitlam Lake Watershed and the surrounding areas. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm draw our name “Red Fish Up the River” from a run of sockeye salmon that once flourished in the Coquitlam River and Coquitlam Lake prior to the construction of the Coquitlam Dam. Our name reflects the strong connection our people have always had to our lands, and the river and lake at the heart of our traditional territory. The traditional language of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people is hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, previously Downriver Halkomelem. Our people descended from Elders who were renowned as spirit and winter dancers, skilled canoe builders and master sturgeon and salmon fishers. The Nation is committed to building a strong, self-governing Nation that honors our rich culture, language, and history and is based on ancient Coast Salish laws and protocols. Today, as in the past, we are guided by the teachings of our ancestors to be stewards and guardians of our lands and water for past, present, and future generations.