Nazko First Nation

The Nazko First Nation is a First Nations government of the Dakelh people in the north-central Interior of British Columbia. Its reserves are located around the community of Nazko, British Columbia, which is 120 km west of Quesnel and southwest of Prince George.^[1]

Nazko/Ndazkoh is located on the Nazko River and ndazkoh means "river flowing from the south".

Indian Reserves under the administration of the Nazko First Nation are:^[2]

• Baezaeko River Indian Reserve No. 25, 3 miles (4.8 km) NW of Fishpot Lake, 64.70 ha. 52°59′00″N 123°48′00″W / 52.98333°N 123.80000°W / 52.98333; -123.80000 (Baezaeko Indian Reserve 25)^[3]
• Baezaeko River Indian Reserve No. 26, on the Baezaeko River, 3 miles (4.8 km) NW of Fishpot Lake, 64.70 ha. 52°58′00″N 123°48′00″W / 52.96667°N 123.80000°W / 52.96667; -123.80000 (Baezaeko Indian Reserve 26)^[4]
• Baezaeko River Indian Reserve No. 27, on the Baezaeko River adjoining IRs No. 25 and 26, 16.20 ha. 52°59′00″N 123°48′00″W / 52.98333°N 123.80000°W / 52.98333; -123.80000 (Baezaeko Indian Reserve 27)^[5]
• Coglistiko River Indian Reserve No. 29, on a small unnamed lake 5 miles (8.0 km) NW of Fishpot Lake, 64.80 ha. 52°59′00″N 123°51′00″W / 52.98333°N 123.85000°W / 52.98333; -123.85000 (Coglistiko Indian Reserve 29)^[6]
• Deep Creek Indian Reserve No. 5, 1/2 mile N of the West Road River, 1-mile (1.6 km) W of the mouth of Pantage Creek, 1.0 ha. 53°18′00″N 123°07′00″W / 53.30000°N 123.11667°W / 53.30000; -123.11667 (Deep Creek Indian Reserve 5)^[7]
• Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve No. 17, on the West Road River, 2 miles (3.2 km) S of the mouth of Euchiniko Creek, 358.60 ha. 53°13′00″N 123°30′00″W / 53.21667°N 123.50000°W / 53.21667; -123.50000 (Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve 17)^[8]
• Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve No. 18, 3 miles (4.8 km) S of the mouth of Euchiniko Creek, 129.50 ha. 53°12′00″N 123°32′00″W / 53.20000°N 123.53333°W / 53.20000; -123.53333 (Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve 18)^[9]
• Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve No. 19, on a small creek, 2 miles (3.2 km) SW of Nuntzun (Cultus) Lake, 129.50 ha. 53°15′20″N 123°33′10″W / 53.25556°N 123.55278°W / 53.25556; -123.55278 (Euchinico Creek Indian Reserve 19)^[10]
• Fishpot Lake Indian Reserve No. 24, on north shore of Fishpot Lake, 8 miles (13 km) W of Stump Lake, 2.0 ha. 52°57′00″N 123°46′00″W / 52.95000°N 123.76667°W / 52.95000; -123.76667 (Fishpot Lake Indian Reserve 24)^[11]
• Lower Fishpot Lake Indian Reserve No. 24A, on a small unnamed lake 9 miles (14 km) W of Stump Lake, 52.40 ha. 52°58′00″N 123°48′00″W / 52.96667°N 123.80000°W / 52.96667; -123.80000 (Lower Fishpot Lake Indian Reserve 24A)^[12]
• Michelle Creek Indian Reserve No. 22, at the headwaters of Michelle Creeik, 48.60 ha. 52°54′00″N 123°39′00″W / 52.90000°N 123.65000°W / 52.90000; -123.65000 (Michelle Creek Indian Reserve 22)^[13]
• Michelle Creek Indian Reserve No. 23, at the headwaters of Michelle Creek east of and adjoining IR No. 22, 64.70 ha. 52°54′00″N 123°39′00″W / 52.90000°N 123.65000°W / 52.90000; -123.65000 (Michelle Creek Indian Reserve 23)^[14]
• Nahlquonate Indian Reserve No. 2, on left (N) bank of the West Road River 12 miles (19 km) W of its mouth on the Fraser River, 87.80 ha. 53°18′00″N 123°11′00″W / 53.30000°N 123.18333°W / 53.30000; -123.18333 (Nahlquonate Indian Reserve 2)^[15]
• Nazco Indian Reserve No. 20, on the Nazko River at Stump Lake, 463.80 ha. 52°57′00″N 123°34′00″W / 52.95000°N 123.56667°W / 52.95000; -123.56667 (Nazco Indian Reserve 20)^[16]
• Nazco Indian Reserve No. 21, on Michelle Creek 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Stump Lake, 48.50 ha. 52°56′00″N 123°38′00″W / 52.93333°N 123.63333°W / 52.93333; -123.63333 (Nazco Indian Reserve 21)^[17]
• Nazco Cemetery Indian Reserve No. 20A, on the Nazko River, north of Stump Lake, north of and adjoining IR No. 20. 0.10 ha. 52°58′00″N 123°34′00″W / 52.96667°N 123.56667°W / 52.96667; -123.56667 (Nazco Cemetery Indian Reserve 20A)^[18]
• Redwater Creek Indian Reserve No. 30, on two small lakes, 1 mile (1.6 km) SW of Redwater Lake, 64.70 ha. 53°01′00″N 123°47′00″W / 53.01667°N 123.78333°W / 53.01667; -123.78333 (Redwater Creek Indian Reserve 30)^[19]
• Trout Lake Alec Indian Reserve No. 16, on the West Road River, 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the mouth of the Nazko River, 125.0 ha. 53°11′00″N 123°32′00″W / 53.18333°N 123.53333°W / 53.18333; -123.53333 (Trout Lake Alec Indian Reserve 16)^[20]
• Trout Lake Johny Indian Reserve No. 15, 2 miles (3.2 km) S of Nutzun (Cultus) Lake, 64.80 ha. 53°14′00″N 123°34′00″W / 53.23333°N 123.56667°W / 53.23333; -123.56667 (Trout Lake Johny Indian Reserve 15)^[21]

In 1973, the government of British Columbia unveiled plans to conduct extensive logging on the lands of Nazko and Kluskus First Nations. For over two years, Kluskus unsuccessfully sought an agreement on cooperative planning that would allow future generations of their peoples to benefit from the extraction of their natural resources. In March 1975, Kluskus and Nazko signed a joint declaration opposing further encroachment on their territories, the watersheds of the Nazko and Blackwater (Tiyakoh) Rivers west of the River to the Ulgatcho Mountains. When the provincial government continued to pursue logging plans, the people of the two first nations held public protests (led by Nazko Band manager Dennis Patrick and Kluskus Chief Roger Jimmie) in Quesnel in 1976.^[22][23]