Following STSA Leadership’s direction in 2020, the S’ólh Téméxw Guardians (STG) were established as a team of Stó:lō who are motivated, collaborative, and dedicated to advancing community-led Indigenous stewardship. As Stó:lō, they care and protect the land, water, natural and cultural values in S’ólh Téméxw, focusing on the Lower Fraser River region.
The Guardians act on behalf of the 17 Stó:lō First Nations of the S’ólh Téméxw Stewardship Alliance. Their work includes the monitoring of environmental and cultural sites linked to Stó:lō policies and regulatory processes, natural and cultural heritage stewardship, recreation management and relations, cross-cultural awareness, research support, and Indigenous Monitoring for development projects – including the Trans Mountain Expansion Project and the Enbridge Sunrise Expansion Project.
The Guardian Team also assists with emergency response situations, regularly support Collaborative Stewardship Forum (CSF) field work, help with environmental resource needs, and continue to develop the program to serve our communities better.
Stó:lō World View
Key Principles of the Stó:lō People
Sxwōxwiyá:m:
Narratives describing the distant past “when the world was out of balance, and not quite right, as well as the actions of the Xexá:ls (the Transformers)” accounting for the origins and connections between Stó:lō, shxwelí, and sxexó:mes.
Sqwélqwel:
“News” and includes oral narratives of personal histories.
Shxwelí:
The “life force” or “spirit” connecting all things, including plants, air, earth, water, animals, and people within S’ólh Téméxw.
Sxexó:mes:
“All our gifts; gifts of the creator.”
Lets’emó:t
“One mind”
Tómiyeqw:
All generations from great-great-great-great-grandparent to great-great-greatgreat-grandchild, expressing the relationship connecting people seven generations past with those seven generations in the future, and establishing a connection between the past and future residing in those Stó:lō living today.
Administrative Areas
The Guardian Team currently serves three administrative units in S’ólh Téméxw, on behalf of our member communities.
Upriver (5):
- Sq’ewá:lxw (Skawahlook First Nation)
- X̲wóx̲welá:lhp (Yale First Nation)
- Shxw’ōwhámél (Shxw’ōwhámél First Nation)
- Sq’éwqel (Seabird Island Band)
- Chowéthel (Chawathil First Nation)
Chilliwack River Watershed (7):
- Ăthelets (Aitchelitz First Nation)
- Shxwhà:y Village (Skway First Nation)
- Sq’ewqéyl (Skowkale First Nation)
- Th’ewá:li (Soowahlie First Nation)
- Sxwoyehálá (Squiala First Nation)
- Ch’íyáqtel (Tzeachten First Nation)
- Yeqwyeqwí:ws (Yakweakwioose First Nation)
Central Fraser Valley (5):
- Kwaw’Kwaw’Apilt (Kwaw’Kwaw’Apilt First Nation)
- Xwchíyò:m (Cheam First Nation)
- Sqwá (Skwah First Nation)
- Semá:th (Sumas First Nation)
- Sq’éwlets (Scowlitz First Nation)
