The Snuneymuxw First Nation (pronounced [snʊˈneɪməxʷ]) is located in and around the city of Nanaimo on east-central Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Prior to European colonization of the Americas and the creation of Indian reserves in the nineteenth century, this people occupied a wide region of south-central Vancouver Island, where they had lived for more than 5,000 years.

[6] Archeological excavations have revealed that the Snuneymuxw had a winter village and burial site in present-day Departure Bay dating to about 3,500 year BP.

For a time the site remained "sad, forlorn and neglected", surrounded by a bent chain-link fence and covered in straggled patches of weeds.

In March 2013, as part of the provincial reconciliation agreement with First Nations, this site was transferred to the Snuneymuxw.

Remains are known to have been scattered over large areas as a result.The site of the former Moby Dick Hotel, 1000 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo, was the location of a Snuneymuxw village of historical importance to the First Nation.

Like the schools, the hospital system has been documented for having a history of physical and sexual abuse of Indigenous people.

[citation needed] In the summer of 2021, hundreds of unmarked graves were identified at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

In response, Steve Sxwithul'txw of the Penelakut First Nation, carver Tom LaFortune, and educator Michele Mundy started a GoFundMe campaign to help First Nations on Vancouver Island conduct their own research around sites of former residential school and the Indian hospital.

[citation needed] In March 2013 the Snuneymuxw First Nation received an additional 877 hectares of land, consisting of three parcels in the Mount Benson area, as part of a reconciliation agreement with the government.

aboriginal relations and reconciliation minister, announced at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre that the land was "intended to provide forestry-related economic opportunities to generate revenue and employment" for the SFN.

The small size and odd shapes and locations of these reserves are visible on the interactive map provided by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.

Although surrounded by the city of Nanaimo, they were not fully provided with water and sewage infrastructure, which resulted in underdevelopment of this area.

[citation needed] In October 2012, Chief Doug White met with UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya.

Anaya observed that "based on his preliminary findings", treaty and aboriginal claims remain "persistently unresolved" throughout Canada".

"[25] In 1992, the Snuneymuxw First Nation filed the Thlap’qwum Specific Claim related to the loss of their 32-hectare reserve in downtown Nanaimo, saying that it was illegally taken by the crown in the 1880s.

The nearly $50 million payment is the largest specific claim negotiated by a British Columbia first nation by a factor of 5.

In 2010 the city of Nanaimo announced plans for a new water treatment facility but had difficulty acquiring Crown land needed for the project.

John Ruttan, Nanaimo Mayor acknowledged that without the assistance of Snuneymuxw First Nation Chief Doug White III in acquiring some Crown land, "it’s questionable whether we would have been able to achieve what we’ve done."

[28] CUPE's long-term goal is to expand this pilot project to First Nations communities across Vancouver Island.

According to Blaine Gurrie, CUPE Local 401 President and member of the Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition, CUPE is working to assist SFN employees in the following ways: become familiar with the hands on day-to-day work involved in a municipality's regular water distribution maintenance programs including emergency repairs and the installation various components... With this model, First Nations communities can supply safe clean water in areas where they have been given the responsibility, but no other assistance from government other than funding.... We have proven by example this expertise can be imparted to manage public water systems, without the need for a private partner... CETA and Bill S-8[29] combined could prevent First Nations from building, owning and operating their own water and wastewater plants.... By not delivering the education to make their legislation work, the Federal government is opening the door wider to further water privatization.Like other First Nations, the Snuneymuxw had a community system to regulate behavior based on restorative justice.

And our way’s different, we heal people that go wrong.In 2006 226 First Nations members were imprisoned in the Nanaimo Correctional Centre (NCC), a provincial prison on SFN traditional territory.