The Gitga'at First Nation is a
Canadian First Nation, also known as the Hartley Bay First Nation.
The members of the Gitga'at First Nation are often referred to as Gitka'a'ata. The population of Gitk’a’ata peoples living in Hartley Bay is approximately 140 as of November, 2024.
There are also about 400-500 Gitk’a’ata peoples living in
Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, a neighboring territory.
The Gitk’a’ata people have lived in
Hartley Bay
Hartley Bay is a First Nations community on the coast of British Columbia. The village is located at the mouth of Douglas Channel, about north of Vancouver and south of Prince Rupert. It is an isolated village accessible only by air and wa ...
for hundreds of years, or longer.
During the COVID-19 pandemic there were requirements for visiting Hartley Bay, such as vaccination status and British Columbian passport.
Economy
The Gitga'at Nation currently has a tourism-centric economy.
Some of the past economies for Hartley Bay were centered around fishing (selling fish, fishing lodges).
These methods still generate income in the present.
Tourism surrounding fishing lodges emerged in 2009 and became the most prominent source of income. It is still the most prominent.
There are also camps that are for recreational and educational activities such as radio and industrial construction.
These camps are usually executed as "boot camps" and are advertised to give job opportunities.
There are also constant job postings on the Gitga'at First Nation social media pages.
Geography
The area of Hartley Bay is large and for the most part undeveloped and forest.
It is bordered by Prince Rupert,
Kitimat
Kitimat is a district municipality in the North Coast region of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of the Regional District of Kitimat–Stikine regional government. The Kitimat Valley is part of the most populous urban dist ...
, and several islands off the west coast of British Columbia.
Government
The current counsel is made up by Arnold Clifton (Chief Councilor), Cam Hill, Marven Robinson, Bruce Reece, and Simone Reece (councilors).
There are representatives known as "Guardians" that work towards preserving and protecting their territory from others that may use harmful ways of getting resources on their territory.
In addition to Guardians, the community values its environment and land, so typically the Guardians are focused on any potential threats to the territory.
The Guardians do many tasks including protecting the ocean from fisheries riding the line of the territory and conducting research to protect coastal habitats and endangered species.
Sports
The Gitga'at First Nation has participated in the
All Native Basketball Tournament.
Relations
Hartley Bay Indian Band entered a treaty with Canada and British Columbia known as The Gitga'at Treaty.
The treaty is still in progress but is gearing towards ownership of certain areas of land and the right to use it as they please (hunt, fish, develop, reserve, etc.)
In 2003, The Hartley Bay Indian Band made a deal with British Columbia to settle a land dispute in for the right to tree cutting licenses and a cash payment.
The Gitga'at First Nation first encountered Europeans in the early 1800s.
Katherine Turner has made several dissertations that include the Hartley Bay Band.
Indian reserves
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve () or First Nations reserve () is defined by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." ...
s under the administration of the Hartley Bay First Nation are:
*
Gander Island Indian Reserve No. 14, on one of the islands of the
Moore Group, off the west coast of
Aristazabal Island in
Hecate Strait
Hecate Strait (; Haida language: ''K̲andaliig̲wii'', also ''siigaay'' which means simply "ocean") is a wide but shallow strait between Haida Gwaii and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It merges with Queen Charlotte Sound to the south a ...
, 121.40 ha. (300.0 acres)
*
Gill Island Indian Reserve No. 2, on the left bank of the
Quaal River, at its mouth on
Kitkiata Inlet in
Douglas Channel
Douglas Channel is one of the principal inlets (or fjords) of the British Columbia Coast, into which the Kitimat River flows. The channel was named in honour of Sir James Douglas, the first governor of the Colony of British Columbia. The offici ...
, 0.10 ha. (0.25 acres)
*
Gribble Island Indian Reserve No. 10, on the west coast of
Gribbell Island, between Verney and Ursula Channels, 2.0 h.a (5.0 acres)
*
Kahas Indian Reserve No. 7, on west coast of
Princess Royal Island at Barnard Harbour, 16.50 ha (40.8 acres)
*
Kayel Indian Reserve No. 8, on west shore of
Princess Royal Island fronting on
Campania Sound, 1.60 ha. (4.0 acres)
*
Kitkahta Indian Reserve No. 1, on the north short of
Kitkiata Inlet of
Douglas Channel
Douglas Channel is one of the principal inlets (or fjords) of the British Columbia Coast, into which the Kitimat River flows. The channel was named in honour of Sir James Douglas, the first governor of the Colony of British Columbia. The offici ...
, 112.50 ha. (278.0 acres)
*
Kulkayu (Hartley Bay) Indian Reserve No. 4, on south shore of Hartley Bay of Douglas Channel, 130.70 ha. (323.0 acres)
*
Kulkayu (Hartley Bay) Indian Reserve No. 4A, adjacent to Kulkayu (Hartley Bay) IR No. 4, 45.30 ha. (112.0 acres)
*
Kunhunoan Indian Reserve No. 13, on Small Bay, west coast of Gil Island, near Black Rock Point on
Squally Channel, 2.30 ha. (5.7 acres)
*
Lachkul-jeets Indian Reserve No. 6, on the east side of
Fin Island west of
Gil Island, Hecate Sound, 1.60 ha. (4.0 acres)
*
Lackzuswadda Indian Reserve No. 9, on an island at the entrance to
Surf Inlet, west coast of
Princess Royal Island, 2.20 ha. (5.4 acres)
*
Maple Point Indian Reserve No. 11, at Maple Point, east shore of Gil Island between Squally and
Whale Channel
Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and por ...
s off Hecate Sound, 50.20 ha. (124.0 acres)
*
Quaal Indian Reserve No. 3, on right bank of the
Quaal River, one mile (1.6 km) west of the mouth of
Kitkiata Inlet of Douglas Channel, 29 ha. (72 acres).
*
Quaal Indian Reserve No. 3A, an addition to Quaal IR No. 3, 74.50 ha. (184.0 acres)
*
Turtle Point Indian Reserve No. 12, at Turtle Point, north end of Gil Island, fronting on
Wright Sound
Wright Sound is a waterway on the British Columbia Coast, North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Wright Sound is south of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Prince Rupert and lies at the southern opening of Grenville Channel and between Gil Island ...
, 51.80 ha. (128.0 acres)
BC Names/GeoBC entry "Turtle Point 12 (Indian reserve)"
/ref>
References
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Tsimshian governments
North Coast of British Columbia