The Shuswap or Secwépemc people occupy a vast territory in BC's interior. This traditional territory stretches from the Columbia River valley along the Rocky Mountains, west to the Fraser River and south to the Arrow Lakes. Most Secwépemc people live in the river valleys.
The Tk‘emlúpsemc, ‘the people of the confluence’, now known as the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc are members of the Interior Salish Secwépemc (Shuswap) speaking peoples of BC. The word Kamloops is the English translation of the Tk’emlúps, meaning ‘where the rivers meet.’ For more information, visit: Tkemlups.ca
Learn Secwepemctsin
Secwepemctsin, the language of the Secwépemc people, uses many sounds not found in the English language. Secwepemctsin developed as an oral language and was only recently prescribed a writing system, which is limited in its ability to accurately represent Secwepemctsin phonetics.
The City regularly offers Beginner Secwepemctsin language courses through our activity guides.
For further information on Secwepemctsin and other First Nations languages, visit: FirstVoices.com
Everyday Secwepemctsin words and phrases
With audio recordings curtesy of Ted Gottfriedson, Language and Culture Department Manager, at Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.
| English | Secwepemctsin | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| Kamloops | Tk’emlúps |  |
| Shuswap | Secwépemc | |
| The people of the confluence | Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc | |
| Trail in Peterson Creek | Xget'tem' Trail | |
| Hello | Weytk/Weytkp (plural) | |
| Goodbye | pútucw/pútcwiye (plural) | |
| I am…/My name is… | (Name) ren skwekwst. | |
| Please | Does not exist | |
| Thank you | kukwstsétsemc | |
| You’re Welcome | le7 ren púp’smen OR me7e | |
| Excuse me | re st’7ékwen (when passing behind) | |
| I’m sorry | Ta7 k sts’xwentsín | |
| Yes | mé7e | |
| No | tá7a | |
