Revitalizing the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language for the prosperity of our people.

The Sníchim Foundation is a non-profit foundation that is revitalizing the language of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) People.

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Revitalizing the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language for the prosperity of our people.

The Snìchim Foundation is a non-profit foundation that is revitalizing the language of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) People.
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We provide immersion language opportunities for adult learners, creating an abundance of fluent Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim (Squamish Language) speakers at an accelerated rate.

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We are committed to carrying on the work of our ancestors and are committed to building a prosperous future ancestry and improving the quality of lives for the people of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh  Nation.

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Welcome to the Sníchim Foundation

Programs

The Snìchim Foundation offers full-time Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim immersion through our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Language Proficiency diploma and certificate programs that incorporate visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning methodologies. Our language programs are delivered through partnerships with Simon Fraser University, the Tsleil-waututh Nation, the Squamish Nation, and the Where Are Your Keys (WAYK) language team.

Our certificate program offers such a deep, multifaceted cultural connection through traditional songs, interactions with other community members, speakers and elders, trips out onto the land, plant knowledge, and more. We structure the program using WAYK: an immersion-based learning methodology developed for revitalizing endangered languages that does not depend on English-based translation.

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The Language

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim was historically an oral language without a formal writing system. In 1990, the Squamish Nation developed a writing system that was adopted as the official writing system, and is today used by most contemporary language speakers. In 2010, the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) considered the language to be critically endangered, with just ten fluent speakers. Today, there are close to 100 Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim-speakers, and those numbers continue to increase alongside a deepening of levels of fluency among speakers.
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Funding

Our work is funded by donations and a combination of government, foundation, and corporate grants. Our major funders include:

  • BC Provincial Government
  • City of Vancouver
  • The Government of Canada
  • The Canadian Women’s Foundation
  • The First People’s Cultural Council
  • The Vancouver Foundation
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Donations

The Snìchim Foundation can do more with donations from the public. With individual contributions, we are able to develop initiatives like our Language Centre Fund and support job creation for graduates of the diploma program as new language teachers.

Please click here to find out more about how you can support us in our essential work.

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