Samahquam Nation

The recently re-constructed community of Baptiste-Smith, located at the southwest end of Little Lillooet Lake on the Lillooet River system, is the newest of those along the Lillooet River. It is the current residence of members of the Samahquam [shah-MAH-kwum] Nation, who had previously lived on the Samahquam Reserve (I.R. 1) about 5 kilometres south of Baptiste-Smith (I.R. 1b). Although the houses on this reserve are fairly new, the site on which it lies has been the location of a village for centuries, perhaps even millennia. The village was known to occupy both sides of the foot of Little Lillooet Lake. The discovery of significant prehistoric artifacts at Baptiste-Smith has indicated that this site was an important one in the past. In the late 1800's this land was pre-empted by a member of the Samahquam Nation.

Members of the Samahquam Nation began to leave the old community of Samahquam in the 1950's, dispersing to other reserves where economic opportunities were to be found. The village of Samahquam, according to the elders, had been the home of the Samahquam Nation since time immemorial. The presence of large cultural depressions, indicative of an ancient form of housing, is testament to that fact. The Harrison-Lillooet wagon road came through this area before it was allotted as a reserve. Reserve allocations were made in two waves, once in 1881 by the Reserve Commission and again in 1916 by the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs.

The southeast end of Little Lillooet Lake, adjacent to Baptiste-Smith, had been the site of a small town in historic times. This town was known as 29-Mile House, and at one time was the end of the first portage along the Harrison-Lillooet route. At that same time it was the point of embarkment for steamships, which traveled from the foot of Little Lillooet Lake through to Lillooet Lake and on to Port Pemberton (the current site of Mount Currie). 29-Mile House was built beside the eastern arm of the native village. Remnants of this old town can still be seen today at this place.

The majority of schoolchildren from this community attend the Xit'olacw community school in Mount Currie, and Pemberton Elementary. The majority of high school students living on reserve attend the Mount Currie School, Pemberton Secondary, or Mission Secondary.

The Samahquam Nation intends on increasing the number of houses on the Baptiste-Smith I.R. 1b reserve. Plans for construction are slated for the next few years. They are also planning on erecting an elder's fish camp at the outlet of Little Lillooet Lake as part of their construction plans.