The Plateau peoples lived in the interior region of British Columbia between the Rocky Mountains and Coast Mountains. They inhabited forests and areas along rivers and lakes, with boreal forests dominating. Their society was egalitarian, with men making decisions. Women gathered plants and cared for families, while men hunted and fished, using tools made from stone, bone and wood. Salmon was a primary food source. They lived in pit houses in winter and tipis or tule mat lodges in summer. The Plateau peoples had distinct cultures and languages but shared similarities in subsistence and village life.