Language & Culture

The SXFN Culture Department is responsible for documenting historical information about SXFN Culture and Language.

Contact us:
Senior Cultural Advisor, Harold Harry 250-302-3362 | chworker@sxfn.ca

Secwepemcst’in

Our laws, principles and values are located not only in our stspetékwle (oral histories) but in our language Secwepemcst’in. Our language binds us and defines us as a Nation; it is our connection to our ancestors. We endeavor to include our language as much as possible to anchor our strategies, processes and structures.

Voice Clips

Yucwmenúl’ecw

Yucwmenúl’ecw refers to the responsibility to take care of communal resource producing lands.

“In addition to political chiefs who were political stewards over tracts of Secwepemcul’ecw, the Secwepemc also had appointed caretakers or monitors of resources. The term for “to take care of something” is yucwminem, and for “to take care of the land”, the term is yucwmenúl’ecw. Both refer to the looking after, or stewardship of resource-producing land, including animals, fish, plants and everything else on it, with respect and with a notion of preserving the sustainability of all things. Yucwmenúl’ecw was, and is, the responsibility of the caretakers of communal resource-producing territory. The Secwepemc had, and in the traditions of Elders and even younger generations, continue to have to this day, designated “caretakers” who were put in charge of particular resources, such as game, fish, berry-patches, trails and other important resources and avenues to resources.”