Colonial Despatches

Chilliwack, the city, is located just south of the Fraser River, southwest of Hope. In this correspondence, Douglas refers to the Chilwayhook District, which indicates one of the many variant spellings for the area, which include, among others, “Chilliwak”, “Chilliwhack”, “Chilukweyuk” and “Chiloweyuck”.1

The Chilliwack mantle denotes other features, which include a creek, river, lake, and mountain. Chilliwack, according to the Akriggs, is a Halkomelem word for quieter water on the head, or travel by way of backwater or slough.2

BCGNIS notes Chilliwack as derivation of Tcil'Qe'uk, again a Halkomelem word, said to mean valley of many streams, as well as several other possibilities.3 Chilliwack was likely an Anglicization that referred to First Nations peoples in the region, which comprise the Stó:lō Nation today,4 whose traditional territories blanket the Lower Mainland, and beyond.5

• 1. Chilliwack, BC Geographical Names Information System.
• 2. G. P. V. Akrigg and H. B. Akrigg, British Columbia Place Names (Vancouver: UBC Press, 1997), 46.
• 3. Chilliwack, BC Geographical Names Information System.
• 4. Our History, Stó:lō Nation.
• 5. Stó:lō Traditional Territory, Stó:lō Nation.

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