The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, also known as the Burrard Indian Band or Burrard Band, is a First Nations government in the Canadian Province of British Columbia. The Tsleil-Waututh are Coast Salish people who speak the Downriver dialect[1] of the Halkomelem language, and are closely related to but politically separate from the nearby Nation of the Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Musqueam First Nations.
The Tsleil-wau-tuth First Nation is a member government of the Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council, which includes other governments on the upper Sunshine Coast, southeastern Vancouver Island and the Tsawwassen band on the other side of the Vancouver metropolis from the Tsleil-wau-tuth.
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The most famous member of the Tsleil-Waututh was Chief Dan George, an actor and native rights advocate best known for his role as Old Lodge Skins in Little Big Man and for another role as Old Antoine in the CBC television series Cariboo Cowboy (based on books by Paul St. Pierre). His descendants still figure prominently in band government and culture. The band is also known for its war canoe racing team, Takaya (wolves). The band operates a war-canoe tour/experience known as Takaya Tours.
Their current chief is Chief Dan George's Grandson, Chief Justin Sky George.
In 2006, a documentary was produced by CBC Newsworld that followed and was filmed by 4 Tsleil-Waututh youth to highlight their struggles with the education system. The documentary —titled as "Reds, Whites & the Blues" and/or, "Reading, Writing & The Rez"--is a CBC Newsworld in-house production co-produced with CBUT. The documentary can be viewed on CBC's Aboriginal Programming website at http://www.cbc.ca/aboriginal/programming.htm.