Artifacts

Canoes

Ethnobotany

Archaeology

Most of the Secwepemc archives that were used for information for this website are located in the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society (SCES) center in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. This information was amassed from years of research in the Secwepemc communities, but not all of the archives are located in Kamloops. Many Secwepemc bands and families have their own archives.

In the archive room at SCES, a person can find an assortment of maps, videos, audiotapes, and photographs. Care is taken in this room; a person is not permitted to eat, drink, or smoke in the archives. To handle any type of object from this room you are first required to put on a pair of gloves so the artifact will not be stained with oil or dirt.

The archives is constantly growing and being organized, with new data being collected from other communities. An example of the benefitsof this new data is the possibility of discovering the names of unidentified people in the early pictures.

Many of the maps in the archives show traditional hunting grounds, fishing and gathering spots, burial and old village sites. This could be helpful in the area of finding the traditional area of a band or its migratory routes. In addition to the maps there are also numerous educational videos and audiotapes which contain materials about Secwepemc arts and crafts, pow-wows, and stories and traditions. The photographs are of people, artifacts and events that pertain to the Secwepemc lifestyle. This material contains information that may assist people in understanding the Secwepemc culture.

The archives are open to the public by appointment and the archivist would be happy to assist with any research. Information seekers and visitors can acquire copies of some of the documents by submitting an application and a fee.

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