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Halkomelem is a Native North American language of the Salishan Family. (See map of North America). Halkomelem is one of the twenty-three Salishan languages of southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States. It is a Central Salish language. (See map of Pacific Northwest). Other Central Salish languages include Comox/Sliammon, Sechelt, Squamish, and Straits (Saanich, Songish, Lummi). Halkomelem is spoken in southwestern British Columbia along the east coast of Vancouver Island from Malahat northward to Nanoose Harbour and on the mainland from the mouth of the Fraser River and eastward to the lower end of the Fraser Canyon. The Halkomelem language has three principle dialects: Upriver, Downriver, and Island. "Halkomelem" is an anglicization dating from the 19th century of the Upriver term for the language. Halkomelem is currently spoken fluently by approximately 200 speakers, most of whom are sixty years of age or older. Thus, Halkomelem is considered to be an endangered language. Halkomelem Dialects
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