Xaxli'p First Nation

Xaxli'p,[1] also known as the Fountain First Nation or the Fountain Indian Band, is a First Nations government located in the Central Interior-Fraser Canyon region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is a member of the Lillooet Tribal Council, which is the largest grouping of band governments of the St'at'imc people (aka the Lillooet people).

The offices of the Xaxli'p band government are located at Fountain, British Columbia, about 10 miles up the Fraser Canyon from the town of Lillooet. Fountain is known in the St'at'imcets language as Cácl'ep or Xaxli'p.

Chief and Councillors

The Chief is Darrell Bob and Councillors are Bobby Watkinson, Howard Bob, Isaac Adolph, Nora Billy, Bernard John, and Milton Doss.[2]

Language

Main article: Lillooet language

Treaty Process

The Xaxli'p First Nation entered the British Columbia Treaty Process in December 1993. The parties signed a framework agreement (Stage 3 of the six-stage process) in November 1997.

The First Nation then focused on internal research, including substantial work on a traditional use study and an ecosystem-based plan for their territory. They resumed negotiations in July 2000, and the parties worked towards interim agreements, including a water quality study and community forest pilot agreement. In March 2001, the Xaxli'p First Nation left the negotiating table, according to the provincial government.[3]

History

Xaxl'ip Chief Thomas Adolph signed the Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe[4] and also travelled to Ottawa to express grievances over land rights as a member of the 1916 delegation of the newly formed Indian Rights Association.[5]

Demographics

The registered population of the Xaxli'pemc (people of Xaxli'p) in 2013 was 1,004, 609 of whom live off-reserve.[6] Of the on-reserve population in 2006, the median age for males was 28.7 versus 39.5 for females.[7]

References

  1. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - First Nation Detail
  2. "ST'ÁT'IMC TERRITORY", District of Lillooet website Accessed August 31, 2007
  3. Xaxli'p Nation - Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. Accessed August 31, 2007
  4. 1911 Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe
  5. St'át'imc - First Nations: Land rights and environmentalism in British Columbia, Dr. Karen Wonders, Institute for the History of Science
  6. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, "Xaxli'p", Registered Population
  7. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada First Nation Profile, "Population" page

External links