Sto'lo

The Stó:lō are peoples of the lower Fraser River and its canyon, where villages and fishing places lie along a waterway rich in salmon. Canoes and trails connected communities across the valley and beyond, while the river's annual fish runs sustained both households and exchange. Among these communities were the Kwantlen, whose traditional territory extended along the lower river.

In 1808 Simon Fraser traveled downriver with Indigenous guides. The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Langley on the lower Fraser in 1827, seeking fur trade with the people of the region. Kwantlen chief Whattlekainum encouraged the company to trade in salmon and cranberries as well. The Kwantlen moved their main village closer to the fort, strengthening their position in the new commerce.