Sci’anew Language Association
Director: Evelyn Vandermaas
Statement of Ancestral Rights and Treaty Continuity
We, the descendants of the Ka-kya-aakan (Beecher Bay) Treaty family group, stand in affirmation of our inherent and unbroken relationship to the land, waters, and village sites that span the southern coast of Vancouver Island and the northern Olympic Peninsula.
Our presence on these lands predates any formal treaty. Prior to the 1850 Douglas Treaty, our people engaged with colonial officials under informal agreements and early expressions of shared space. These understandings were rooted in kinship, seasonal stewardship, and Indigenous law — not land surrender.
The 1850 Douglas Treaty marked the first formalized document in which our family group agreed to coexist with settlers, on the condition that our “village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our use, for the use of our children, and of those who may follow after us.” This promise was not conditional. It was enduring.
Yet even this agreement was later undermined. In 1877, we were forcibly removed from our ancestral village site on the west side of Beecher Bay. In 1913, Albert Head — set aside as a replacement fishing station — was taken again by the Department of National Defence. Despite these breaches, our rights remain active and continuous.
Our connection to Elwha and the Straits of Juan de Fuca is part of this larger story. Before borders were drawn, our families moved across these waters freely. The 1855 Point No Point Treaty, and later the U.S.-Canada boundary treaties, attempted to divide our territories — but not our ties. In February 2025, our historical connection to Elwha was formally acknowledged again, thanks to the enduring work of our relatives, including my mother.
This project — combining oral history, archival maps, and treaty law — is part of our journey back. We do this work not only for the record, but for the return.
This is not about reclaiming the past —
It is about reclaiming what was promised,
And never rightfully relinquished.
*not associated with the Tribal Governance Council
The Language House Hub:
Lending Library full of Indigenous content
Archival research and historical informative sharing
workshops for multiple activities
community gardens
educational resource hub
Elder in residence Monday to Friday
Confidential meeting space for those who need a space for personal meetings - no fees
Please contact us for more information scianewklallam@gmail.com
The Beecher Bay First Nation (Sc’ianew) is deeply connected to the Klallam people, reflecting a shared history of migration, settlement, and cultural blending. In the mid-1800s, Klallam migrants from Port Angeles established a village at Beecher Bay, intermarrying with local Songhees, Sooke, and Kekayaken families. The community’s name, Sc’ianew, comes from the Klallam word xʷčiyánəxʷ, meaning “salmon place,” highlighting the significance of this site as a cultural and linguistic crossroads for Coast Salish peoples.
Here’s a more in-depth look at the connections between Beecher Bay (Scia’new) and American Klallam tribes across the Strait:
Shared Ancestry & Migration
In the mid-1800s, Klallam groups from Port Angeles (part of what’s now Washington State) migrated to Beecher Bay on Vancouver Island—some fleeing the impacts of smallpox epidemics—and established a village there. This group later became the Becher Bay Klallam, linking them directly to contemporary U.S. Klallam tribes like the Lower Elwha, Jamestown S’Klallam, and Port Gamble S’Klallam scalar.usc.edu+13cedar.wwu.edu+13en.wikipedia.org+13.
Linguistic Continuity
The Klallam language was historically spoken on both sides of the Strait, with distinct dialects—including Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, and Becher Bay Klallam. Though no longer a first language, efforts are underway to revitalize it across communities .
Political & Cultural Identity
On the U.S. side, three federally recognized Klallam tribes in Washington (Lower Elwha, Jamestown, Port Gamble) and one Canadian band (Scia′new First Nation at Beecher Bay) all trace lineage to the same Coast Salish "Strong People"—S’Klallam or nəxʷsƛ̕áy̕əm̕—and traditionally lived in villages around the Olympic Peninsula and southern Vancouver Island en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4elwha.org+4accessgenealogy.com+12en.wikipedia.org+12elwha.org+12.
Treaties & Land Rights
U.S. tribes signed the Treaty of Point No Point (1855), and established communities like Jamestown (1874) and Lower Elwha (later with a reservation established in 1935) en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org+4elwha.org+4elwha.org+4. In Canada, Beecher Bay signed the Douglas Treaties (1850–54) and is actively negotiating modern treaties through the Te’mexw Treaty Association en.wikipedia.org+1cedar.wwu.edu+1.
Cultural Resurgences
All Klallam communities—U.S. and Canadian—have been working to revitalize language, preserve coastal heritage, and restore salmon runs and traditional fisheries. For example, the Lower Elwha Tribe worked to remove dams on the Elwha River (completed by 2014) to revive salmon populations and reconnect to ancestral village sites like Tse‑whit‑zen elwha.org+8en.wikipedia.org+8elwha.org+8.
In essence: Across both sides of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Beecher Bay and U.S. Klallam tribes share the same ancestral roots, language family, cultural history, and collective resurgence efforts—linked through 19th-century migration, village establishment, treaty-making, and ongoing cultural revitalization.
JAMESTOWN KLALLAM LANGUAGE CALENDER VIDEOS
JULY CALENDAR WORDS
AUGUST CALENDAR WORDS