Viewing Object

Object Description

Object ID

0437

Title

Looking north from Langley toward q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓, Kwantlen First Nation reservation on McMillan Island.

Description

Landscape orientation postcard in black and white looking north from Langley toward q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓, Kwantlen First Nation reservation on McMillan Island. The post card has a white banner along the bottom that is curved so that the white space is higher on the sides and lower in the centre. The foreground depicts the Fraser river and in this grey toned river there is two sections of handwritten script. The left is illegible and the right reads "Indian Reserve / Langley BC." Past the river there are 5+ small wooden buildings, most painted white, on the shore McMillan Island. One of these buildings is the historic "Church of the Holy Redeemer". Behind these buildings there are trees and the beginning of the mountain range but most of the mountains are not visible due to either clouds or poor photo quality.

People/Subject

Golden Ears Mountain

Landscapes

McMillan Island

Native Peoples of North America

q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓, Kwantlen First Nation

'Kwantlen' translates to tireless runner. Kwantlen Traditional Territory extends from Richmond and New Westminster in the west, to Surrey and Langley in the south, east to Mission, and to the northernmost reaches of Stave Lake. The Kwantlen People have lived on this land since time immemorial.

The Kwantlen First Nation are an Indigenous group, mainly located on McMillan Island in Fort Langley. Prior to European contact, their main village was Sqaiametl, where New Westminster is today, but they moved their main settlement to Fort Langley after the Hudson's Bay Company established a fort there. The Kwantlen traded with the Fort. As Canada came together, the Kwantlen peoples' importance in the country diminished, and their affairs were turned over to an Indian Agent. Modernly, the Kwantlen have seen a cultural resurgence after times of displacement and cultural loss, as well as economic growth through their business group, Seyem' Qwantlen. Their current hereditary chief is Marilyn Gabriel. The Kwantlen are culturally a Stó:lō people, though they operate as an independent nation. They speak the Downriver dialect of Halkomelem (hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, or Hun'qumi'num). There has been a renewed focus on teaching and learning hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, one of the ways Kwantlen is reclaiming their culture.

Reserve

Argus v4.4.0.36 - Langley Centennial Museum