Upper Similkameen Indian Band Office / Snaza'ist Discovery Centre
Located in Hedley, the Upper Similkameen Indian Band office was also once the location of the Snaza’ist Discovery Centre, where you could explore the incredible history of the First Peoples and mining in the Similkameen Valley. The Discovery Centre is not offering exhibits at this time.
The Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB) warmly welcomes you to the lands on which we gather—our traditional, unceded territory of the Smelqmix People.
Today, USIB is a vibrant and growing community of over 200 members. We oversee a range of programs and services that support our people, including health, education, social development, housing, counseling, and other essential administrative functions.
According to our oral traditions, the Upper Similkameen People have lived in this valley since time immemorial. Our families have long resided along the banks of the Similkameen River and its tributaries. Our traditional territory encompasses the Upper Similkameen watershed, stretching from the U.S.–Canada border in the south, to the Skagit Valley in the west, and north to Aspen Grove.
For thousands of years, our people thrived through self-reliance, innovation, and a deep connection to the land. We lived in harmony with the environment, moving across our territory to hunt, fish, cultivate, harvest, and trade—sustaining a balanced and resilient economy.
Today, the Smelqmix People continue to uphold their responsibility to steward these lands and waters, protect natural resources, and care for the well-being of our citizens. Through the preservation of our nsyilxcən language and Saimilamix culture, we honour the natural laws of the tmixw—all that gives us life.
