This dictionary is the first published compilation by the Squamish Nation of Skwxwu7mesh Snichim, one of ten Coast Salish languages. The Squamish peoples' traditional homeland includes the territory around Burrard Inlet (Vancouver, B.C.), Howe Sound, and the Squamish and Cheakamus river valleys. The Squamish language is critical to the Squamish Nation. It offers a view of modern daily life, and contains the historical record, protocols, laws, and concerns of generations of Squamish people, but is also critically endangered today.
This dictionary builds on over 100 years of documentation and research by Squamish speakers working with anthropologists and linguists beginning in the late nineteenth century. The dictionary is also informed by Squamish elders who taught language classes in the 1960s. More recently, the Squamish Language Elders Advisory Group has been involved with and supported the work of the Skwxwu7mesh Snichim dictionary and language recovery initiatives.
This important work is a reflection of current knowledge and is designed as a beginner's resource for a diverse audience of learners and scholars, as well as a tool for exploration.
