Our Language

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim

Historically, there were 23 Salish languages spoken in southern British Columbia, Washington State, the Oregon Coast, Idaho, and Montana. The Salish language family comprises five branches, with each branch sharing many commonalities compared to other branches. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim is one of the 10 languages within the Coast Salish branch.

The Squamish People, who are the Indigenous Peoples that speak Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim, are often referred to as the Squamish Nation today. However, in the long ago, there was no word for “nation,” so the people simply identified themselves as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh or “the Squamish People.” Our language remains an integral part of our culture.