The name Cheam means "wild strawberry place" and is the namesake of Mount Cheam, which overlooks the community and most of the Upper Fraser Valley. They are a member government of the Sto:lo Tribal Council, one of two Sto:lo tribal councils.
Cheam's name suggests a place named after "wild strawberries," and it is connected to Mount Cheam, which overlooks the community and much of the Upper Fraser Valley. The area is part of the Sto:lo Tribal Council, alongside another Sto:lo tribal council.