Aboriginal People

The original People of the West Kootenay’s are the Sinixt, who inhabited this area for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. Speaking an interior Salish language and working harmoniously with the land, the Sinixt People contributed to area conservation and politics in a peaceful manner.Currently a small group of Sinixt are working to reclaim recognition, land, rights, and ancestral knowledge in order to preserve what was once a rich and dynamic culture. Listen to Sinixt Radio to learn more about the First People of this area.