Who we are
We are the People of Pukaist — Nlaka'pamux people from along the Thompson River in what is now called Ashcroft and Spences Bridge, British Columbia.
Our families are still here, still living from the land. We hunt, we fish, we grow our own, and we keep the seasonal rounds our people have always followed. We want our children to know where they come from — and we want to teach the world who Pukaist is.
Here we bring together our public language, place names, history, and stories — part of our broader effort to support our culture and language.
Along the Thompson River
Pukaist territory, between Ashcroft and Spences Bridge.
Our effort, carried together
Still from the People of Pukaist video
Our Society
We incorporated the People of Pukaist Society on September 20, 2022, in Ashcroft, British Columbia.
Our purpose is to support the redevelopment of our cultural practices, traditions, and language, and to support our community members from youth to Elders.
Historical records include the names Pokaist and Pokhaist, which remain part of our known place context.
Territory and land use
Our reserves sit along the Thompson River between Ashcroft and Spences Bridge. Historical materials also describe seasonal use of highland meadow lands for hay, grazing, and related work.
This is part of why place, history, and language belong together here rather than living as separate topics.
What you will find here
- Nłeʔkepmxcín — our language and vocabulary from verified sources
- Named places and public mapping context
- History drawn from testimony, reports, and records
- Stories we share through public-safe cultural and historical materials
How we use sources
What we share here draws from published academic work, government records, archived testimony, and our own knowledge.
Where available, our public pages point back to the source material used for that section. These pages are public-facing, but we are careful not to overstate what has or has not yet been fully prepared for public use.
Who leads our Society
Cheryl Billy
Lead Director
Leads our Society.
Listening across generations
Our governance is about care and responsibility — listening to our Elders, youth, and families, and sharing only what is ready.
How we listen across generations →Public material, not the whole record
We include some materials here because they are ready for public access. We hold others back because they need further community review or are not meant for public sharing.
We are still here, on this land
What our families built and kept is still standing in this valley — and we carry it forward.
From our community film