Our Values

Úxwumixw

Úxwumixw can mean village, as in a physical community with inhabitants living in intergenerational multi-family housing, as well as the physical environment, and it can mean community, as in the people, including the parents, siblings, and children of a particular nation.

The Squamish Language Dictionary (2011) defines this noun as ‘nation’; ‘village’ [houses and inhabitants]; ‘community’; ‘people’.

Snew̓íyelh

Snew̓íyelh can mean advice as in an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc. It can also mean something that is taught as in teachings to be followed.

The Squamish Language Dictionary (2011) defines this noun as ‘advice.’

Wanáxws

Wanáxws can mean to respect someone or treat someone with respect. It can also mean to honour or believe someone (Squamish Language Dictionary 2011).

Siyám̓in

A siy̓ám̓ is sometimes used as a title for individuals and sometimes used as an honorific term of endearment for someone highly respected. It can mean highly honoured person; rich person. The suffix /-min/ or /-min̓/ is sometimes added to a word to mean a piece; half; side.

The term siyám̓in can refer to the siy̓ám̓’s area, or an area that a siy̓ám̓ is responsible for. In the late 1800s, when early Christian missionaries worked with our people to translate sections of the Bible, our people at the time translated kingdom as siyám̓in.

Siyám̓in can also refer to Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council).

Nexwnínew̓

The term nexwnínew̓ means to have the upbringing or to be well brought up (Squamish Language Dictionary 2011). A person who is nexwnínew̓ is considered to have been raised well by their family and community because they conduct themselves well as a good person.

The term nexwníw̓it can mean to advise someone or instruct someone but refers more to advising or instructing someone in how to behave as a good person in our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh society.

Other related terms include nexwníw̓/xwniw̓, which means upbringing, and nexwníw̓en, which means putting teachings inside or absorbing teachings.

Stélmexw

The term stélmexw can mean a person, as in a human person, or can be understood as the personhood of all living things. It is usually singular, though can be used to refer to groups of non-Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people.

After Sḵwx̱wú7mesh úxwumixw (Squamish people) met Europeans, stélmexw took on an additional meaning to refer to someone who is Indigenous or First Nations, whereas the European newcomers were called xwelítn.

The Squamish Language Dictionary (2011) defines this noun as ’Indian’; ‘person’; ‘human being’.