What is the vision?

Indigenous languages are integral to Indigenous rights, identity, and community. You might hear reports after reports of Indigenous communities struggling. Our community believes for us to be a happy, healthy community again, we need the language back. It was taken away, but we’re ready for the comeback. It’s only when our language is back will we be free, healthy, and thriving once again!

By contributing to this campaign, you’re helping transform a community. You’re helping improve the lives of families, young people, and the children yet to come.

We only need forty donations of $200 to meet our goal of $8,000. A $200 donation pays for one week of full-time instruction for a student.  When you donate, the SFU Vancity Office for Community Engagement matches it!

If $200 is not doable, feel free to donate any amount that works for you.

Why is this project important?

We’ve been working hard at increasing the number of speakers in our community. Less than a year ago, there were only 7 second-language speakers of the Squamish Language. Today there are now fourteen more.  Graduates of the language immersion program tell us that their lives have been transformed by learning the language of their elders and ancestors.  We are working with SFU to expand the language program and create a generation of second language speakers who can teach their children the language, so it continues for generations to come.

Temstl’í7 ta Sníchim (Squamish language adult immersion program) launched in September 2016 through a partnership with Simon Fraser University (SFU) with the goal to grow the number of speakers from 7 to 157 by 2027. We have students ready to take the program. The only barrier they face in realizing their goal of learning Sḵwx̱wú7mesh is financial. Through this campaign, we hope to raise funds to make the language program accessible to students in financial need.

Who are we?

Kwi Awt Stelmexw is an arts & education organization founded in 2015 by members of the Squamish Nation. The phrase “kwi aw̓t stélmexw” means “the future generations” in the Squamish Language. Our mandate is to be a platform for growing the artistic and linguistic aspirations of the Squamish Peoples. In the past two years, we’ve offered training programs in arts & language education, materials development, and now cultural space development.

A board of directors governs Kwi Awt Stelmexw, the majority of whom are Squamish Nation members. Kwi Awt Stelmexw employs five Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and two Xwelítn (settlers).

What will your contributions support?

Your donation goes directly to helping Squamish students who are accepted into the language immersion program and require financial assistance (The Program is full-time, five days a week).

1. Funds raised will be used to cover: tuition costs and partial cost of living expenses such as rent, food, and class materials.
2. Our goal is to raise $8000 through this campaign.
3. All funds raised will be matched by SFU Vancity’s Office of Community Engagement so we can provide $16,000 to a student to cost of tuition and living expenses for one school year.
4. Anything raised beyond our goal will be used to cover expenses for more students.