Ey Kw’esé e’mí, Ts’elxwéyeqw, Pélolhxw qas te Sémá:th, mestíyeqw te xáxa témexw, ewólem qas syóys.
It is good that you are here, we are honoured to work, play and learn on the sacred territory of the Ts’elxwéyeqw (Chilliwack), Pil’alt and Sémá:th (Sumas) peoples.
We honour and acknowledge the history of this place, live in the present and look to the future to guide all teaching and learning. Central Elementary is located in the heart of the Stó:lō territory. Surrounded by the Ts’elxwéyeqw (Chilliwack), Pil’alt and Sémá:th (Sumas) peoples who refer to this land as S’ólh Téméxw (our world). It is a place where the fresh waters meet and flow into the Híkw Stó:lō (Fraser River). Elders share that this is the place where dug-out canoes were “going back upstream . . . as far as they can go.” The word Chilliwack is derived from the Halq’eméylem word Ts’elxwéyeqw. Central acknowledges the land, the people who nurtured, take care of it, teachings from this place, and those who it belongs to. We are here to learn on, from this place and about how we can be our best selves with respect to all.