What First Nation is Victoria BC?
The southern tip of Vancouver Island (including Victoria and Langford), the San Juan, and the Gulf Islands are the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Lekwungen) peoples.
What is the indigenous name for Victoria BC?
Lekwungen
Esquimalt Nation Their traditional name is Xwsepsum, also written Kosapsum. They are ancestors of the Lekwungen speaking people who occupied much of Greater Victoria for thousands of years before the land was settled by Europeans.
Is Lekwungen a language?
Lekwungen, which used to be called Songish, is similar to the Saanich, Lummi, Samish, and Sooke languages. They are dialects of what linguists call the Straits Salish language. There were many families living around what is now Victoria, Esquimalt and Saanich. Each family lived together in villages, sqw’uqw’unukwul.
How do you say thank you in Lekwungen?
In honour of the Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) and Lekwungen (Songhees) ancestors, Hay’sxw’qa si’em (hy-sh-kwa sea-em)! This means, “Thank you, respected or honourable one.”
Are Songhees Coast Salish?
The Songhees or Songish, also known as the Lekwungen or Lekungen, are an indigenous North American Coast Salish people who reside on southeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the Greater Victoria area. Located adjacent to the Township of Esquimalt and the Town of View Royal.
Who are the Lekwungen peoples?
They are members of the Coast Salish, the group of ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lekwungen is currently classified a sleeping language though is being reawakened by the Songhees and Esquimalt peoples as they continue to reassert their culture.
What language do the Songhees people speak?
Their government is the Songhees First Nation, a member of the Te’mexw Treaty Association and the Naut’sa Mawt Tribal Council. Their traditional language is Lekwungen, a dialect of the North Straits Salish language.
Are Lekwungen Coast Salish?
The Lekwungen or Lekungen nation (lək̓ʷəŋən often called the Songhees or Songish by non-Lekwungens) are an Indigenous North American Coast Salish people who reside on southeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the Greater Victoria area.
Is Victoria BC unceded territory?
The City of Victoria youth Council is located on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ nations. Unceded land – Indigenous Title has not been surrendered to the Canadian Government. Most of the province of British Columbia (approx. 900,000 square kilometers) is unceded First Nations Territory.
Who are the Songhees people?