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 Logo of the Tsawwassen First Nation | |
 Location of the Tsawwassen First Nation inMetro Vancouver | |
| People | Coast Salish |
|---|---|
| Treaty | Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement |
| Headquarters | Tsawwassen Lands |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Land[1] | |
| Main reserve | Tsawwassen Lands |
| Land area | 7.24 km2 |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
| On reserve | 189 |
| On other land | 10 |
| Off reserve | 214 |
| Total population | 413 |
| Government[1] | |
| Chief | Laura Cassidy |
| Tribal Council[1] | |
| Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council | |
| Website | |
| Tsawwassen First Nation | |
TheTsawwassen First Nation (Halkomelem:sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ,pronounced[st͡sʼəwaθənməstejəxʷ]) is aFirst Nations government whose lands are located in theGreater Vancouver area of theLower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, close to the South Arm of theFraser River and just north ofthe international boundary with the United States atPoint Roberts,Washington. Tsawwassen First Nation lists its membership at 413 people, nearly half of whom live on the lands.[1]
Like most First Nations people of the West Coast, the Tsawwassen lived in family groups and inhabitedlonghouses. They carved no totem poles but ornate house posts, masks, tools with carvings etc. Also they processed cedar fibers and goat hair into dresses and headgear. Also, the wooden building material, firewood, canoes and dresses. Using tidal traps, fishing, nets and harpoons they hunted fish, especially salmon. They also harvested oysters, crabs and other sea creatures. The salmon was considered a supernatural being, and therefore had to be hunted and eaten in a very particular way. The remains were returned to the sea in a private ceremony. Numerous species of birds were on the menu, such as ducks and loon. Land mammals such as moose, deer, black bear, and beaver were hunted along with marine mammals such as seals and sea lions. Edible plants such as camas and cranberries, along with medicinal plants, were harvested, traded, and exchanged.
The traditional Tsawwassen area ranged in the north east to the area aroundPitt Lake,Pitt River toPitt Meadows down to where the water in the Fraser River flows. It includedBurns Bog and parts ofNew Westminster. FromSea Island toGaliano Island and joinedSalt Spring,Pender andSaturna Island. North Eastwards came the Point Roberts peninsula added, then the area around theSerpentine andNicomekl River.
Today, their territory has been reduced to a relatively smallsemi-enclave ofDelta by the shore, between theTsawwassen ferry terminal and theRoberts Bank Superport. They also own some lands byBoundary Bay and the Fraser River, but jurisdiction remains with the city of Delta.[2]
Tsawwassen (Halkomelem:sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ) means "land facing the sea".[3] The nearby neighbourhood ofTsawwassen and the Tsawwassen ferry terminal take their names from the First Nation.
The oldest finds in the area of Tsawwassen First Nation settled by means of radiocarbon dated to about 2260 BC. Other sites such as Whalen Farm and Beach Grove dating back to the presence of Tsawwassen at least until the time of 400–200 BC.
In 1851, the last frontier settlements in the wake ofthe border treaty of 1846 between theUnited States andGreat Britain took place. A portion of the Tsawwassen Territory was now in Point Roberts in the U.S. state of Washington. In 1858 the first cross-country road was built in British Columbia from Tsawwassen Beach toFort Langley. In 1859, it was followed by the first inner-city street the "North Road" betweenBurnaby andCoquitlam. In 1871, a tiny reserve was assigned to the Tsawwassen peoples, which was enlarged in 1874 to 200 hectares (490 acres). Today, it covers 290 hectares (717 acres). In 1914, chief Harry Joe sent a petition to theMcKenna McBride Commission, with a request for review of reservations. The petition was dismissed. Nevertheless, young Tsawwassen First Nation people joined theCanadian Military in theFirst andSecond World Wars.
In 1958, the provincial government built theBC Ferriesterminal in Tsawwassen for their ferries. For this purpose, a Tsawwassen First Nation long house was demolished. When the terminal was enlarged in 1973, 1976, and 1991, there were no consultations with the Tsawwassen peoples.
The Tsawwassen First Nation is a member government of theNaut'sa mawt Tribal Council.
The Tsawwassen, aCoast Salish people, are one of the few British Columbia First Nations to come to the end of theBritish Columbia Treaty Process, the others being theTla'amin Nation, the member nations of theMaa-nulth First Nations (consisting of theHuu-ay-aht First Nations,Kyuquot/Cheklesahht First Nation,Toquaht First Nation,Uchucklesaht First Nation, andUcluelet First Nation). TheNisga'a also have self-government, but completed prior to the establishment of the formal BC Treaty Process. TheYale First Nation's final agreement is ratified, but has not come into effect yet.[4] The treaty deal would have allowed for the expansion of theRoberts Bank Superport and the employment of band members in the expanded facility, but was criticized by some as a sell-out, as the negotiated settlement modified and defined TFN's Aboriginal rights. The Treaty was ratified by Tsawwassen members in July 2007 and expanded the size of the Tsawwassen reserve by 400 hectares, offered a cash settlement of $16 million and $36 million in program funding, re-established TFN's right to self-govern, and reserved a portion of the Fraser Riversalmon catch to the Tsawwassen. In return, the Tsawwassen would abandon other land claims and would eventually pay taxes.[5] On April 3, 2009, after 14 years of negotiations, the Tsawwassen First Nation implemented the Final Agreement and became self-governing. In 2009, the first election of the new Legislature was called as the existing Indian Act was replaced.[6] Tsawwassen First Nation then also became the first First Nation to become a full member of theMetro Vancouver Regional District.[7]
In January 2012, a "mega-mall" project was approved by the Tsawwassen First Nation, with 43 percent of the eligible voters taking part. Of that 43 percent who voted, 97 percent were in favor of the project. The mall is expected to create jobs and stimulate tourism for the community. The resultingTsawwassen Mills mall, built byIvanhoé Cambridge, opened on October 5, 2016.[8]
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