Skeetchestn tems qés gwewgwewt re stétchemkt wul le7 sumec-kt ren elye ren tmicw tsunemctl’t es xyemstwewckt! ell excwiyt re secwepemculecw te kweseltktenkt tsunemctlt es tekwenipl’e7 tek le7 ren tmicw, sellkew, ell cxwiyt stem kúlt ren tmicw teculecwtl’t te tmicw xexwiyt re sqéltus t7íweltk sqelq’wéltulecw es tskwenstem re tmicw ell es le7s tsucminstem.
1763 The Royal Proclamation recognizes Indian land title and rights.
1858 American miners arrived; Skeetchestn fought alongside the Okanagan and Thompson peoples in response to miners killing First Nations’ people. The Canyon War was successful in halting the murders.
1862 Chief Sisiyésq’t declared that the mouth of Savona-Kamloops Lake, 9 miles by 9 miles in area, belongs to SIB Indians.
1862 Small Pox started in Victoria BC. Two-thirds of the BC Indian populations perished. Deadman’s Creek Reserve was at 122 population at the time, by 1877 there were only 82 SIB Indians left.
1864 – 1871 Joseph Trutch, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works reduces the size of reserve lands.
1868 Residents relocated to the Deadman’s Creek (where SIB currently is located).
1876 Indian Act reduced our people’s status and rights to that of children.
1877 Skeetchestn Indian Band reserve was established.
1878 The Okanagan Shuswap Confederacy was established.
1910 Memorial to Sir Wilfrid Laurier in which Chiefs from the interior Nations asserted the persistence of Aboriginal title and sovereignty over their respective territories.
1914 – 1919 Skeetchestn members fought with the Allies in the First World War.
1916 McKenna-McBride Commission reduces the area of Skeetchestn reserve lands.
1927 Indians agents order trap lines to be registered; Law made it illegal to fundraise for land claims; Grazing permits were established and enforced.
1933 Fishing permits were established and enforced
1934 Chief Jimmy Peters challenged the control of the Indian Agent, protesting the lease of Sasses (Horseshoe Island) for mining purposes. The work went ahead anyway.
1939 – 1945 Skeetchestn community members fought alongside the Allies in World War II.
1951 Prohibition on fundraising for land claims was revoked
1952 The Chiefs resisted controls by the Crown.
1955 Chief Charlie Draney demanded greater control of funds from Indian affairs; Electricity came to Deadman creek homes; A day school was built in the village.
1972-1982 This period saw a succession of short term chiefs in office.
1981 Deadman’s Creek became bankrupt.
1982 Chief Ron Ignace elected Chief. During that era the fish hatchery was created, Skeetchestn negotiated a partnership with a ginseng farm, and the community school was formed.
1984 Shuswap Cultural Declaration; Fire-hall and water reservoir were built.
2007 Establishment of Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwépemc Nation. Agreements with New Afton and the province of British Columbia soon follow.
2014 Skeetchestn Landfill closes and Skeetchestn waste management and recycling program begins.