The first inhabitants of the Cariboo-Chilcotin were the Secwepemc, or Shuswap people. They lived in the region for at least 8,000 years prior to contact by European settlers. The Secwepemc people had a rich and vibrant culture. They held many spiritual and secular ceremonies to honour and celebrate special events, such as the first roots of the season, salmon fishing, spirit dances, family gatherings and name-giving ceremonies.The Secwepemc culture is rich with myths and legends, and key among these are the exploits of seklep, or coyote. As the legend goes, seklep was sent to put the world in order. He used his powers to create mountain ranges and waterways, and he introduced salmon to the region to feed the Secwepemc people. While foolish in nature, seklep was also intelligent and cunning, and he had great magical powers that he used to make the world safe. more... See more text