Squamish Nation
/ˈskwɑː.mɪʃ ˈneɪ.ʃən/noun
The Indigenous political organization representing the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) people of southwestern British Columbia, Canada.
Did you know?The community’s own name is Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, while “Squamish” is an English rendering; the commonly given translation “People of the Sacred Waters” reflects Indigenous cultural interpretation rather than a simple word-for-word English gloss.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Salishan
Proto-Salishan
Uncertain ancestral form
“The deeper linguistic origin of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh has not been securely reconstructed in a universally accepted form.”
Pre-contact
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh
“The people’s own name for themselves; its full internal historical analysis is not transparently established.”
18th–19th Century
English
Squamish
“An English rendering of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh used in colonial records and maps.”
Latin
Latin
nātiō
“Birth, offspring, people, or nation; from nāscī, “to be born.””
Middle English
Middle English
nacioun
“A people or community of common origin, adopted through Anglo-French and Old French.”
Modern English
English
Squamish Nation
“The recognized Indigenous political organization and governing body of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people.”