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Nisga'a
The Nisga’a (; ), formerly spelled Nishga or Niska, are an Indigenous people in British Columbia, Canada. They reside in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. The origin of the term ''Niska'' is uncertain. The spelling ''Nishga'' is used by the Nishga Tribal Council, and some scholars claim that the term means 'people of the Nass River'. The name is a reduced form of , which is a loan word from Tongass Tlingit, where it means 'people of the Nass River'. The official languages of Nisg̱a’a are the Nisg̱a’a language and English. Culture Social Organization Nisga’a society is organized into four tribes: * Ganhada (G̱anada, Raven) * Gisḵ’aast (Gisḵ’aast, Killer Whale) * Laxgibuu (Lax̱gibuu, Wolf) * Laxsgiik (Lax̱sgiik, Eagle) Each tribe is further sub-divided into house groups – extended families with the same origins. Some houses are grouped together into clans – grouping of houses with same ancestors. Example: *Lax̱gibuu Trib ...
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Nisga'a Language
Nisga’a (also Nisg̱a’a, Nass, Nisgha, Nishka, Niska, Nishga, Nisqa’a) is an indigenous language of northwestern British Columbia. It is a part of the language family generally called Tsimshianic, although some Nisga'a people resent the precedence the term gives to Coast Tsimshian. Nisga’a is very closely related to Gitxsan. Indeed, many linguists regard Nisga’a and Gitksan as dialects of a single Nass–Gitksan language. The two are generally treated as distinct languages out of deference to the political separation of the two groups. History and usage Like almost all other First Nations languages of British Columbia, Nisga’a is an endangered language. In the 2018 Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages, there were 311 fluent speakers and 294 active language learners reported in a population of 6,113. Anglican missionary James Benjamin McCullagh conducted much early linguistic work in Nisga’a, preparing translations of parts of the Bible and Boo ...
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Nisgaa Mask Louvre MH 81-22-1
The Nisga’a (; ), formerly spelled Nishga or Niska, are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Indigenous people in British Columbia, Canada. They reside in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. The origin of the term ''Niska'' is uncertain. The spelling ''Nishga'' is used by the Nishga Tribal Council, and some scholars claim that the term means 'people of the Nass River'. The name is a reduced form of , which is a loan word from Tongass Tlingit language, Tlingit, where it means 'people of the Nass River'. The official languages of Nisg̱a’a are the Nisg̱a’a language and English. Culture Social Organization Nisga’a society is organized into four tribes: * Ganhada (G̱anada, Raven) * Gisḵ’aast (Gisḵ’aast, Killer Whale) * Laxgibuu (Lax̱gibuu, Wolf) * Laxsgiik (Lax̱sgiik, Eagle) Each tribe is further sub-divided into house groups – extended families with the same origins. Some houses are grouped together into clans – gro ...
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Gitlaxtʼaamiks
Gitlax̱t'aamiks (), formerly New Aiyansh (), is a Nisga'a village about north of Terrace, British Columbia, Terrace, in the heart of the Nass River valley, Canada. It is one of four Nisga'a#Nisga’a villages, Nisga'a villages. Though it is located in British Columbia, it is also considered the "capital of the Nisga'a Nation". The Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government building (), which opened in 2000, is located here. The area is home to 806 people and the Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park. Gitlax̱t'aamiks is located overlooking a lava flow that erupted in the 18th century. The source for this lava flow was the Tseax Cone. In front of the Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School stands the Unity totem pole, Totem Pole which, raised in 1977, was the first totem pole raised in the Nass Valley since the late 19th century. Name origin ''Gitlax̱t'aamiks'' means "people of the ponds" in the Nisga'a language. The name New Aiyansh was established in 1974. Though the name Aiyansh was o ...
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Laxsgiik
The Laxsgiik (variously spelled) is the name for the Eagle "clan" (phratry) in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to identically named groups among the neighboring Gitksan and Nisga'a nations and also to lineages in the Haida nation. The name ''Laxsgiik'' derives from ''xsgiik,'' the word for eagle in the Tsimshian, Gitksan, and Nisga'a languages. The chief crest of the Laxsgiik is the Eagle. Beaver and Halibut are also common Laxsgiik crests. Tsimshian, Gitksan, and Nisga'a matrilineal houses belonging to the Laxsgiik tend to belong to one of two groups, the Gwinhuut and the Gitxon. Gwinhuut The ''Gwinhuut'' (meaning literally "refugees") are according to tradition descended from migrations from the Eagle-clan peoples of the Tlingit nation in what is now Alaska. Gwinhuut houses are more numerous than Gitxon ones, and they are related to various Tlingit Eagle groups. All Gitksan L ...
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Lax̱g̱altsʼap
Lax̱g̱altsap (also Laxqaltsap, and formerly Lachkaltsap) is a Nisga'a, Nisg̱a’a village of approximately 248, in the Nass River valley of British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the four main Nisga’a#Nisga.E2.80.99a villages, villages in the Nisg̱a’a Lisims, the formal name for their territory, and is situated on the north side of the Nass River between Gitwinksihlkw to the east and Gingolx, Ging̱olx to the west. It is approximately 24 km from where the Nass empties into the Pacific Ocean at Nass Bay. Road access is via the Nisga'a Highway. Name origin In the Nisga'a language, Nisg̱a’a language, Lax̱g̱altsap translates to "village on village"—the current village was built on the site of a much older one. The older village at this site, known as Gitxatin, was destroyed by fire. Lax̱g̱altsap got its English name of Greenville (pron. ) from Methodist Missionary Alfred Green, who was based here in the late 19th century. Until reconstituted as a Nisg̱a’a ...
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Nass River
The Nass River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It flows from the Coast Mountains southwest to Nass Bay, a sidewater of Portland Inlet, which connects to the North Pacific Ocean via the Dixon Entrance. Nass Bay joins Portland Inlet just south of Observatory Inlet. The English name "Nass" is derived from the Tlingit name ''Naas'' which means "intestines" or "guts" in reference to the river's large food capacity in its fish (Naish & Story 1963; Leer, Hitch, & Ritter 2001). Can also be a Tlingit word for "food depot". Former spellings are Naas and Nasse. The Nisga'a name for the river is ''K'alii Aksim Lisims'' "Lisims (river name) Valley". The Gitxsan name is ''Git-Txaemsim'' meaning People of Txeemsim (Raven or Trickster); ''Xsitxemsem'' in the dialect of the Gitanyow). ''Lisims'' means "murky" in Nisga'a, referring to the river's silt-laden flow. The last of the river are navigable. The river is a commercially valuable salmon fishery. The basin of the Na ...
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Gitwinksihlkw
Gitwinksihlkw ( , ) formerly Canyon City, is a Nisga'a Village in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia, Canada, near that river's confluence with the Tseax River. An older spelling is Kitwilluchsilt. It is one of four Nisga'a villages. Road access is via the Nisga'a Highway. Gitwinksihlkw means "people of the lizard's habitat", a reference to the presence of (salamanders) in the area prior to the eruption of Tseax Cone in the 18th century which buried the neighbouring villages of Wii Lax K'abit and Lax̱ Ksiluux. Education The community is served by School District 92 Nisga'a School District 92 Nisga'a is a school district in British Columbia, Canada. Situated in the Nass River valley it covers the First Nations in Canada, First Nations area of the Nisga'a people north of Terrace, British Columbia, Terrace. This inclu ... and hosts Gitwinksihlkw Elementary School. The secondary school is in Gitlax̱t'aamiks. See also * Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed P ...
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Laxgibuu
The Laxgibuu or Laxgyibuu (variously spelled) is the name for the Wolf "clan" (phratry) in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to identically named clans among the neighboring Gitksan and Nisga'a nations. The name ''Laxgibuu'' derives from ''gibuu,'' which means wolf in the Gitxsan and Nisga'a languages. In Tsimshian the word is ''gibaaw (gyibaaw or gyibaw)'', but Tsimshians still use the word Laxgibuu for Wolf clan. The chief crest of the Laxgibuu is the Wolf. Other crests used by some matrilineal house-groups of the Laxgibuu include black bear. Some Laxgibuu house-groups are related to Wolf clan groups among the Tahltan and Tlingit The Tlingit or Lingít ( ) are Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. , they constitute two of the 231 federally recognized List of Alaska Native tribal entities, Tribes of Alaska. Most Tlingit are Alaska Natives; ... Firs ...
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Hobiyee
Hobiyee, also spelled Hoobiyee, Hobiiyee and Hoobiiyee, is the Nisg̱aʼa new year celebrated every February or March. It signifies the emergence of the first crescent moon and begins the month Buxw-laḵs. Celebrations of Hobiyee are done by Nisg̱aʼa wherever they are located, but the largest celebrations are in Nisg̱aʼa itself and in areas with a large Nisg̱aʼa presence like Vancouver. Etymology Hobiyee comes from the phrase "" meaning the "moon is in the shape of the ." The is the bowl of the Nisg̱aʼa wooden spoon. Hobiyee thus signifies the potential for an abundant harvest (or filled spoon) if the crescent moon's edges point upward. Significance At Hobiyee, if the crescent moon is seen with its edges pointing upward, it foretells an abundant year of salmon, oolichans (), berries and various other foods. The months Buxw-laḵs and X̱saak indicate the end of the winter and the emergence of oolichans in the rivers, the first food supply to arrive when winter resourc ...
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Indigenous Peoples Of The Pacific Northwest Coast
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities. They share certain beliefs, traditions and practices, such as the centrality of salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol, and many cultivation and subsistence practices. The term ''Northwest Coast'' or ''North West Coast'' is used in anthropology to refer to the groups of Indigenous people residing along the coast of what is now called British Columbia, Washington (state), Washington State, parts of Alaska, Oregon, and Northern California. The term ''Pacific Northwest'' is largely used in the American context. At one point, the region had the highest population density of a region inhabited by Indigenous peoples in Canada.Aboriginal Identity (8), Sex (3) and Age Groups (12) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 ...
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Ganhada
The Ganhada (variously spelled, but often as G̱anhada) is the name for the Raven "clan" (phratry) in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to the G̱anada (Raven/Frog) Tribe of the Nisga'a nation in British Columbia and the Frog clan among B.C.'s Gitxsan nation. The Gitxsan also sometimes use the term Laxsee'le to describe the Frog clan. Nisg̱a'a - G̱anada The house groups of the G̱anada among the Nisga’a include: * ''(People-Where-Water-Runs-Black)'' Clan: ** House of - Wallace Clark ** House of - Earl Munroe (Previously Oscar Mercer) ** House of - Wayne Nisyok * House of - (previously Sidney Alexander) ''(not to be confused with eagle chieftain name Tx̱aalax̱hatkw)'' * House of - Earl Stephens (previously Horace Stephens) * House of - (previously Richard Leeson) * House of - Chester Moore * House of - Leonard Watts * House of - Bert Adams, Sr * House of - Larry Derrick S ...
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Gitxsan
Gitxsan (also spelled Gitksan and Kitksan) are an Indigenous people in Canada whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English (: means "people of" and : means "the River of Mist"). Gitksan territory encompasses approximately of land, from the basin of the upper Skeena River from about Legate Creek to the Skeena's headwaters and its surrounding tributaries. Part of the Tsimshianic language group, their culture is considered to be part of the civilization of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, although their territory lies in the Interior rather than on the Coast. They were at one time also known as the ''Interior Tsimshian'', a term which also included the Nisga'a, the Gitxsan's neighbours to the north. Their neighbours to the west are the Tsimshian (a.k.a. the Coast Tsimshian) while to the east the Wetʼsuwetʼen, an Athapaskan people, with whom they have a long and deep relationship and shared political and cu ...
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