Katzie First Nation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Katzie Nation are a Stó:lō First Nation based on Barnston Island and at Yorkson Creek in Langley, British Columbia. They traditionally speak the Upriver dialect of Halkomelem, one of the Salishan family of languages of the Coast Salish peoples. Traditional Katzie territory includes the entire Pitt watershed, including the Alouette watershed portions of the Fraser River and lands adjacent to the Fraser River. There are approximately 460 members of the Katzie Nation, but only about 300 live on one of the nation's five reserves.

The Kazie Nation once comprised of five communities from the region, each with its own chief. Oe’lecten and his people were based at what is now known as Pitt Lake, Swaneset at Sheridan Hill, Xwoe’pecten at Port Hammond (whose descendents became the Kwantlen), Smakwec at Point Roberts (whose people, the Nicomekl were largely killed in a smallpox epidemic in the 1700s), and C’simlenexw at Point Grey (whose descendents became the Musqueam). Todays Katzie are primarily the descendence of Oe’lecten and Swaneset.

Although they consider themselves part of the Stó:lō family of peoples, the Kazie Nation are negotiating their land treaty independently, and are not part of the Stó:lō Nation Tribal Council.

As the new Golden Ears Bridge is being constructed in Katzie territory, the nation signed a Benefit Agreement with Translink in September 2004 to establish the responsibilities of both parties.