Nemiah’s Wilderness Stewards - The Xeni Gwet’in

HUNILT’ASH (Welcome). Nemaiah Valley (also spelled Nemiah Valley and Nemaia Valley) is located between Chilko Lake and the Taseko Lakes in the Chilcotin Region of BC’s Central Interior. It is home to the Xeni Gwet’in community, part of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation (which loosely translates to ‘People of the Blue River).

With the great Tŝ'il?oŝ (pronounced “sigh-loss”) Mountain in Xeni title lands, the Xeni Gwet’in feel a strong, independent connection to their history and traditional ways, and today, continue the tradition of their ancestors in protecting the environment, land and waters of Nemiah. They have become stewards of Xeni’s Wilderness for BC, for future Xeni Gwet’in generations and for the climate change movement across the World.

Tŝ'il?oŝ Provincial Park in the Interior of BC

“Yes we can. for the good of all people and the world - we must protect our waters, our most precious resource on earth.

Keep that beautiful picture in your heart, mind and soul. Keep the land, water, animals and future generations alive in your heart, mind and soul. Keep it above the rest, above the negative business.

Thank you all for keeping it above all else - see it, believe it and we will achieve it!”

— Marilyn Baptiste (Former Chief - 2010)

Nenduwh Jid Guzitin Declaration (2015)

Let it be known that within the Nemiah Aboriginal Wilderness Preserve:

There shall be no commercial logging. Only local cutting of trees for our own needs. i.e.firewood, housing, fencing, native uses, etc.
There shall be no mining or mining explorations.
There shall be no commercial road building.
All terrain vehicles and skidoos shall only be permitted for trapping purposes.
There shall be no flooding or dam construction on Chilko, Taseko, and Tatlayoko Lakes.
This is the spiritual and economic homeland of our people. We will continue in perpetuity:
- To have and exercise our traditional rights of hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, and natural resources.
- To carry on our traditional ranching way of life.
- To practice our traditional native medicine, religion, sacred, and spiritual ways.
That we are prepared to SHARE our Nemiah Aboriginal Wilderness Preserve with non-natives in the following ways:
- With our permission visitors may come and view and photograph our beautiful land.
- We will issue permits, subject to our conservation rules, for hunting and fishing within our Preserve.
- The respectful use of our Preserve by canoeists, hikers, light campers, and other visitors is encouraged subject to our system of permits.
We are prepared to enforce and defend our Aboriginal rights in any way we are able.

Inspiring the World

The Xeni Gwet’in have been in the news over the years for their landmark Supreme Court case in winning their right to their Aboriginal title lands, but also for their strong sense of identification, securing their place as one of the most functioning Indigenous cultures in Canada.

Here are only a few articles and videos about Nemiah:

Xeni Gwet’in activist to be honoured with Goldman Prize - Globe and Mail article published April 19, 2015.
Short Youtube of Nemiah’s land claim - produced by a non-profit group - Friends of Nemiah Valley who supported the Xeni Gwet’in land claim (2014).
Nemiah: Home of the Xeni Gwet'in - Pdf environmental report published by the David Suzuki Foundation (2000).

Sharing Nemiah’s traditional ways

The Xeni Community is made up of about 350 inhabitants, living throughout the beautiful land, rivers and breathtaking mountain peaks of Nemiah’s landscape. The community regularly comes together for traditional community celebrations and events, often ending in a big, outdoor feast. There’s a strong desire in the community to retain the Chilcotin language of Nemiah’s elders and ancestors. Over the past ten years, Xeni Gwet’in elders and community members worked with several educational partners to archive and create a learning platform for their Chilcotin language through FirstVoices, an online language database, which helped young people with culture revitalization. Nemiah Valley Lodge will offer many community signs in English and Chilcotin, as well as trail markers and the valley’s iconic landmarks.

You too can listen and learn the language of the Tsilhqot'in (Xeni Gwet'in). You can also download a free app from iTunes XGFN which become available in 2013 to help share the Xeni Gwet'in language.

Creating opportunities for the future

Many members of Nemiah’s community work the land to sustainably farm, hunt and fish, as well as some are local entrepreneurs and artisans. More details on our local artisans are coming soon.

As well, the community encourages economic development in Xeni’s off-grid environment, actively moving towards a sustainable future of run-of-the-river hydro generation and solar energy to replace fossil fuel energy sources.

Most recently, Nemiah’s Wild horses and Xeni Gwet’in Community were part of the History Channel Canada TV series “The Wild Ones” in 2020 co-directed, by filmmaker Asia Youngman. The series included ten episodes filmed on location in Nemiah Valley and showcasing many of the communities’ members. The background to the “Wild Ones” series was also outlined in this CBC story on Jan 28, 2020.

Also, a Telus original production from 2019 called In the Valley of Wild Horses, showcases the new generation of Xeni Gwet'in Riders who accomplished a trek of over 200-km by horse and wagon. The wagon ride and community activity is a very special event for the Xeni Gwet’in to encourage their horsemen roots and keep connected with the elders and young people in the community.