Semá:th Xó:tsa: Great Gramma’s Lake

Description

For milennia, a vast lake existed between the Sumas and Vedder mountains in the unceded territory of the Stó:lō people, in what is now known as the Fraser Valley. Teeming with ecological abundance, Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake) was central to the cultural, spiritual, and physical wellbeing of the Semá:th people (Sumas First Nation) and surrounding Indigenous communities. Between 1919 and 1924, settlers in the region lobbied government to drain the lake, thereby enhancing the agricultural capacity of the region with devastating consequences for Stó:lō people.  

This book recalls a time when the lake was thriving, using memory and story to allow the lake to live on today. The project is illustrated by Xémontélót Carrielynn Victor and co-authored by Thetáx Chris Silver, Xémontélót Carrielynn Victor, Kris Foulds, and Laura Schneider.

Semá:th Xó:tsa is on display at the Fraser River Discovery centre until September 2, 2024.