First Nations

The First Nations peoples inhabited the North Thompson Valley long before the explorers and settlers established communities in the region. The resilient and creative native peoples survived on seasonal foods of the valley which included; berries, fish, and wild meat. Many roots added variety and nutrition to their diet. The first nations peoples of this valley flowing along the North Thompson River are known as "The Simpcw ("SEEM-kuh") and form part of the Secwepemc, the largest division of the Interior Salish spread over 56,000 square miles. 'David Stuart first encountered the Secwepemc of the North and south Thompson rivers in 1811, when his search for furs stranded him in a dim, smoky put house for the winter months.' *Excerpt from: BC Historical News, Vol. 35 No. 3; Written by Muriel Poulton Dunford. From this account, we know that early explorers found the first nations peoples to be well established in the North and South Thompson regions early on.

The North Thompson is a very unique and large area with many diverse cultures. Within the North Thompson we celebrate families of many First Nations people. We have Metis, Cree, Ojibway, Mi’kmaq and Inuit, …just to name a few….and while we try to celebrate all of the cultures, we honor and respect the Simpcw First Nation in whose territory we are in and we thank them for their continuous support.