Hwlitsum First Nation

The Hwiltsum First Nation is an organization representing the group historically known as the Lamalchi or Lamalcha but properly called Hwlitsum. The Hwlitsum, a Hulquminum-speaking people whose home region is in the Southern Gulf Islands, were never granted reserves or band status and are currently seeking recognition as a band government from the governments of British Columbia and Canada.

The Lamalcha/Hwlitsum defended themselves against Royal Navy attack in the days of the Colony of Vancouver Island, and in the wake of that their former territories were taken up by other peoples who did get reserves and status rights, which were denied to the Lamalcha (see the Lamalcha War section on the Hwiltsum article).

Political organization

Their political organization, the Hwlitsum First Nation, is currently seeking legal recognition as a band government under the Indian Act, are in joint action with the Tsawwassen First Nation on mutual interests in the Fraser Estuary. They lobbied to have those interests included in the Tsawwassen Treaty negotiations but that treaty concluded without them being addressed.^[1]

A letter of support for their cause was sent to the federal and provincial governments in 2007 by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.^[2] They have standing in the BC Treaty Process towards recognition but are still not a chartered band government.^[3]

References