Scwʼexmx

The Scwʼexmx (/ʃəˈkwɑːkəm/[1] Scw̓éxmx), meaning "people of the creek(s)",[2][3] are a branch of the Nlaka'pamux (Thompson) people in the Nicola Country of the Canadian province of British Columbia (Scw'ex, meaning "creek", is the name of the Nicola River in the Thompson language).[4] Together with the neighbouring branch of the Okanagan people the Spaxomin (usually Spahomin in English), who live in the upper, eastern reaches of the Nicola Valley, they are generally known in English as the Nicolas. They also share governmental institutions, and their alliance dates to before the time of Chief Nicola, for whom the river was named and whose father had led the Okanagan migration into the valley in the late 18th century. The Scw'exmx intermarried with the Okanagans, and also with the Nicola Athapaskans (Stu'wix), a now-extinct Athapaskan-speaking people who migrated into the valley in the 17th century.