In his introduction to the Thompson River traditions, James Teit describes the NLak'a'pamux as primarily hunters and fishermen. Their subsistence depended largely on venison and salmon — animals and fish tied to the rivers and the land around them.
The Thompson River language was spoken in the area around the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson rivers. This places the Nlaka'pamux people at one of the most significant geographical points in the interior — where two major river systems meet.