Sumas First Nation was recently gifted two fishing artifacts that have been identified as Semá:th fishing tools, thought to have been used sometime in the early 20th century (before the draining of Semá:th Xó:tsa, or Sumas Lake) for fishing sturgeon and salmon. These tools were identified as Semá:th by the wooden handles; the wood used is thought to have come from Semá:th territory.
These tools were found in a Surrey home recently by an individual that was working on site; the home was set to be demolished. By chance, the person who identified these tools has family connections to an antique restorer, who he brought them to. His journey to find out where they came from, and what they were used for, took him as far as England where he was advised that these tools had been used for fishing purposes. Upon coming in contact with our very own Chris Silver, he was further advised that these tools would have commonly been used before the draining of Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake). This information would date the tools back to the early 20th century (early 1900’s). The Good Samaritan that discovered these tools has graciously returned them to Sumas First Nation.
These artifacts are currently being stored in a safe place on Semá:th territory. We are honoured to have the tools of our ancestors back on Semá:th land. We are looking for more information about how these tools were constructed, how they were used, and what materials they are/where the materials are from to add to our database of Semá:th history. We hope to one day house these tools in an appropriate place for all Semá:th members to enjoy.
For the time being, we hope you enjoy these photos! If you or someone you know has any information about these kinds of tools (how they were made, when they were used, etc) we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at communications@sumasfirstnation.com to let us know if you have info regarding these artifacts.
