{{Short description|First Nation government}} {{Infobox First Nation | band_name = Lower Kootenay | band_number = 606 | endonym = Yaqan nuʔkiy | image = | caption = | map = {{maplink|type=point|frame=yes|coord={{Coord|49.06840044168619|N|116.51590933878629|W}}|zoom=11}} | map_caption = Location of Lower Kootenay Band | people = Kutenai | treaty = | headquarters = Creston | province = {{BC}} | main_reserve = | reserve = {{Collapsible list | title = List |Creston 1 |Lower Kootenay 1A |Lower Kootenay 1C |Lower Kootenay 2 |Lower Kootenay 3 |Lower Kootenay 4 |Lower Kootenay 5 |St. Mary's 1A }} | area = 32.5 | pop_year = 2025 | on_reserve = 110 | on_other_land = 12 | off_reserve = 133 | total_pop = | chief = M. Jason Louie | council = {{Collapsible list | title = 2022-2026|Robin Louie|Chad Luke|Leona Basil|Cherie Luke }} | tribal_council = Ktunaxa Nation | website = {{URL|https://lowerkootenay.com/}} | footnotes = }}
The '''Lower Kootenay First Nation''' ({{langx|kut|Yaqan nuʔkiy}}<ref>{{Cite web | title = 2nd Annual Ktunaxa Challenge 2012 | work = Aboriginal Services - College of the Rockies, BC, Canada | access-date = 2012-09-10 | url = http://www.cotr.bc.ca/aboriginal/cotr_web.asp?IDNumber=145 | archive-date = 2012-10-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121013205631/http://www.cotr.bc.ca/aboriginal/cotr_web.asp?IDNumber=145 | url-status = dead }}</ref>) is a First Nation based in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. In the British Columbia Treaty Process they are part of the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council.<ref name="gov.bc.ca.ktunaxa">{{cite web |year= 2009 |url = http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/firstnation/ktunaxa_kinbasket/default.html|title = Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council|publisher = Executive Council of British Columbia| access-date = July 26, 2009}}</ref>
==Treaty process== The Ktunaxa Nation entered Stage 5 of the BC Treaty Process in 2017.<ref name="gov.bc.ca.ktunaxa"/>
==History== The Lower Kootenay Tribe, known as the '''Yaqan Nukiy''', is part of the Ktunaxa Nation. The Ktunaxa Nation consists of six different Bands, four located in British Columbia and two in the United States.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2014-02-11 |title=Yaqan Nukiy History on Kootenay Lake |url=https://www.friendsofkootenaylake.ca/news/yaqan-nukiy-history-on-kootenay-lake/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society |language=en-US}}</ref> The four bands located in British Columbia are referred to as bands, while the two bands in the United States are referred to as tribes.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=Our History – Lower Kootenay Band |url=https://lowerkootenay.com/our-community/our-history/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=lowerkootenay.com}}</ref> The Band name Yaqan Nukiy directly translates to "where the rock stands".<ref name=":03" /> The land that belongs to the Ktunaxa Nation encompasses all of the south-eastern part of British Columbia along the Kootenay River also known as the Creston Valley.<ref name=":03" /> The land itself is {{Convert|27,000|sqmi|km2}}, and that included some states in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who We Are : Ktunaxa Nation |url=https://www.ktunaxa.org/who-we-are/ |access-date=2022-06-01}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> The near proximity to the Kootenay river not only provides their name, but also differentiates them from the Upper Kootenay band which consists of forest and mountains than rivers and lakes.
== Geography == The Yaqan Nukiy band is located along the Kootenay River. The proximity of the lake and the river were able to determine what type of lifestyle the Yaqan Nukiy band would have. The Yaqan Nukiy band became depended on hunting, gathering and fishing to survive. The river was used a main water source, and became useful in ritual practices.<ref name=":03"/> The Yaqan Nukiy alone have 6,000 acres of substantial agricultural land.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lands and Resources – Lower Kootenay Band |url=https://lowerkootenay.com/departments/lands-and-resources/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=lowerkootenay.com}}</ref> Their life on the water determined the type of transportation they had. The Yaqan Nukiy created canoes called the sturgeon-nosed canoes that were light and pointed downward, and they were attributed to the First Nations as the first of its kind.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Indigenous Water Transport - History {{!}} Sternwheelers of Kootenay Lake |url=https://touchstonesnelson.ca/exhibitions/sternwheelers/en/history/first-nations.php |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=touchstonesnelson.ca}}</ref>
Due to the nature of the Kootenay River crossing into the borders of the United States, it created conflict between the United States and Canada.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Loodin |first1=Najibullah |last2=Keith |first2=Theresa |last3=Arynova |first3=Aigul |last4=Rosenblum |first4=Zoe |last5=Ruzmatova |first5=Zarina |date=2021-04-13 |title=A critical analysis of the food–energy–water nexus in the Kootenai River Basin |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-021-00508-w |journal=Sustainable Water Resources Management |language=en |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=26 |doi=10.1007/s40899-021-00508-w |issn=2363-5045|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Pollution, climate change and many other factors have drastically changed the ecosystems of these areas. In 2018, the Yaqan Nukiy have been working to restore {{Convert|517|ha|acre}} of wetland located on reserve land by removing dikes and reconnecting waterways.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2025-06-13 |title=Lower Kootenay Band leads Canada’s largest Indigenous-led wetland restoration |url=https://www.nelsonstar.com/home/lower-kootenay-band-leads-canadas-largest-indigenous-led-wetland-restoration-8071539 |access-date=2025-07-23 |website=Nelson Star |language=en}}</ref> {{As of|2025|June}}, more than {{Convert|2|km|mi}} of dikes have been removed. The band has also released millions of burbot larvae into the area using Canadian brood stock.<ref name=":0" />
== Government == The Yaqan Nukiy band consist of one chief and four councillors. The chief of the Yaqan Nukiy {{As of|2022|lc=y}} is Chief Jason Louie.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Lower Kootenay {{!}} British Columbia Assembly of First Nations |url=https://www.bcafn.ca/first-nations-bc/kootenay/lower-kootenay |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=www.bcafn.ca |language=en}}</ref> The people of the Yaqan Nukiy band vote for their people in office.
Like many other tribes the Yaqan Nukiy has entered many agreements and never signed a single treaty with any government. The Ktunaxa Nation has never signed a treaty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ktunaxa Nation {{!}} BC Treaty Commission |url=https://www.bctreaty.ca/ktunaxa-nation |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=www.bctreaty.ca}}</ref> The fifth stage of negotiation is one of the last stages which establishes the relationship between the tribe and the government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Treaty {{!}} BC Treaty Commission |url=https://www.bctreaty.ca/negotiation-processes |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.bctreaty.ca}}</ref>
== Culture == Much of the culture of the Yaqan Nukiy band is heavily influenced by their location. Since they were located near the river, it became part of their culture. It determined what they ate which was various different types of fish, for example; kokanee bull trout, burbot, and sturgeon.<ref name=":62">{{Cite web |title=Waters - Journeys & Transformations: British Columbia Landscapes |url=https://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/exhibits/journeys/english/water_2_2b.php |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}</ref>
=== Yaksumit === The sturgeon-canoes also known as the Yaksumit''',''' were made with materials that were available to the Yaqan Nukiy on their land.<ref name=":62"/> Most of the sturgeon-canoes were made from bark, however when the Europeans arrived on the bands land they were exposed to a different type of material that would become more common, canvas.<ref name=":03"/>
=== Spirituality === The Yaqan Nukiy's religion is heavily based on spirituality, and a traditional way to heal, purify and pray is through the creation of a sweatlodge.<ref name=":03"/> The sweatlodge ceremony is very common amongst First Nations, and is used as a purification and healing ceremony.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Sweat-lodge Ceremony - Indigenous Saskatchewan Encyclopedia {{!}} University of Saskatchewan |url=https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/sweat-lodge_ceremony.php |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=teaching.usask.ca}}</ref> The way in which the sweatlodge is created is first a fire is specifically made to heat up the rocks that will be used in the ceremony, then in the middle of where the sweatlodge will be built a pit will be created to hold the rocks and create the steam that will be trapped inside the sweatlodge causing people inside to sweat.<ref name=":5" /> The sweatlodge itself is a dome made of sticks and covered, that entraps the steam and the people of the First Nations enter naked or with very light clothing, and begin the ceremony which can last a whole night.<ref name=":5" /> After the ceremony is completed there is a feast held by the family of the person who hosted the sweatlodge ceremony.<ref name=":5" />
=== Housing === The teepee was the most common form of housing amongst the First Nation people, and its creation included four poles and tule, tule was most accessible to the Yaqan Nukiy people because they were closer to the river.<ref name=":03" /> The Yaqan Nukiy band also had different forms of teepees for the seasons, they had a lighter teepee for the summers which were easy to breakdown, and a heavier base teepee for the winters.<ref name=":03" />
== Language == The language of the Yaqan Nukiy band is almost extinct, due to the establishments of residential schools in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ktunaxa (Kootenay) {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kootenay |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref> They speak Kutenai which is a language isolate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indigenous Languages in Canada {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-people-languages |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref>
== Education ==
=== Yaqan Nukiy School === A school on the Yaqan Nukiy land which goes from pre-kindergarten to grade eight. It is a small school that has ninety-three students, and has a class that teaches the students about Ktunaxa language and culture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yaqan Nuki School {{!}} Creston {{!}} British Columbia |url=https://www.yaqannukiyschool.org/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=yaqannukiyschool |language=en}}</ref>
=== Kootenay River Secondary School === This school is located on the east side of the Kootenay river and is from grades eighth to twelfth grade and it has about 500 students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kootenay River Secondary |url=https://krs.sd8.bc.ca/node/36959 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Kootenay River Secondary |language=en}}</ref>
=== Residential school history === In July 2021, ground-penetrating radar discovered the unmarked graves of 182 people at the site of the former St. Eugene's Mission School located on the reserve. Students from this band and others were required by law to attend the school until it closed in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ahead of Canada Day, a First Nation finds more unmarked graves and more churches are burned - the Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/01/canada-catholic-church-indigeneous-graves/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701144510/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/01/canada-catholic-church-indigeneous-graves/ |archive-date=2021-07-01 |access-date=2021-07-01 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
==Demographics== The Lower Kootenay First Nation has 208 members.<ref name="Campbell ">{{cite web|year = 2009|url = https://fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/FNP/Main/Search/FNMain.aspx?BAND_NUMBER=606&lang=eng|website = Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada|publisher = Government of Canada|title = Kootenay|access-date = July 26, 2009}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Council}}
Category:East Kootenay Category:Ktunaxa governments Category:Ktunaxa Nation