Long before Western European contact, our ancestors lived in the beautiful Ts’elxweyeqw (Chilliwack River Valley). Our ancestral homelands were at Sxotsaqel, a village at the head of Chilliwack Lake. Sxotsaqel means ‘sacred lake’ in Halq’eméylem language. We have a long history of moving down river and eventually settling at the mouth of the Old Chilliwack River (Skway I.R.#5).

Before settling along the Fraser River where we are today, our ancestors lived at a village called Sxwo:yxweyla, here in Chilliwack. When the people of this large village disbanded, the “big island” – Shxwhá:y (Skway Reserve) – was one of the locations where we eventually located. One of the great Stó:lō Chiefs, Harry Edwards, translated the meaning of Shxwhá:y: “a place where they made canoes”. This is our present village site at the outlet of Chilliwack River at its confluence with the Fraser.

It was mainly after the great floods of 1894 and 1948 that Shxwhá:y people began to move permanently away from their Village along the Fraser River, escaping a number of influences flooding, the indian residential school, unemployment, and in most instances choosing to live permanently south of the border.

Shxwhá:y are strong people committed to healthy living and responsible care and use of their lands, waters, territories and resources for the current and future generations.

Shxwhá:y people gain their strength of identity from their Sto:lo cultural heritage, understanding and practicing their traditional values and teachings, and from restoring the use of Halq’emeylem in daily living.

Shxwhá:y families engage in respectful and fair community leadership and relationship with others.

Shxwhá:y people believe in principled governance that is inclusive, responsible and accessible, transparent in exercising its authorities, and accountable for its financial, program and service performance.

Shxwhá:y well-being is based on understanding, compassion, communication and mutual support for the care of self, the family and the community.

Shxwhá:y people will thrive economically, socially, politically and culturally through their unwavering commitment to being the best that they can be.