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:
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 Tribe
  • * Gitwilnaak’il Clan
  • ** House of Bax̱k'ap
  • ** House of K’eex̱kw
  • ** House of Gwingyoo
  • ** House of Duuḵ

Traditional cuisine

The Nisga’a traditionally harvest "sea food" all year round. This might include razor clams, mussels, oysters, limpets, scallops, abalone, fish, seaweed and other seafood that can be harvested from the shore. They also harvest salmon, cod, char, pike, trout and other freshwater fish from the streams, and hunt seals, fish and sea lion. The grease of the oolichan fish is sometimes traded with other tribes, though nowadays this is more usually in a ceremonial context. They hunt mountain goat, marmot, game birds and more in the forests. The family works together to cook and process the meat and fish, roasting or boiling the former. They eat fish and sea mammals in frozen, boiled, dried or roasted form. The heads of a type of cod, often gathered half-eaten by sharks, are boiled into a soup that, according to folklore, helps prevent colds. The Nisga′a also trade dried fish, seal oil, fish oil, blubber and cedar.

Traditional houses

The traditional houses of the Nisga’a are shaped as large rectangles, made of cedar planks with cedar shake roofs, and oriented with the doors facing the water. The doors are usually decorated with the family crest. Inside, the floor is dug down to hold the hearth and conserve temperature. Beds and boxes of possessions are placed around the walls. Prior to the mid-twentieth century, around three or four extended families might live in one house; this is nowadays an uncommon practice. Masks and blankets might decorate the walls.

Traditional clothing

Prior to European colonization, men wore nothing in the summer, normally the best time to hunt and fish. Women wore skirts made of softened cedar bark and went topless. During the colder season, men wore cedar bark skirts, a cape of cedar bark, and a basket hat outside in the rain, but wore nothing inside the house. Women wore basket hats and cedar blankets indoors and outdoors. Both sexes made and wore shell and bone necklaces. They rubbed seal blubber into their hair, and men kept their hair long or in a top knot. During warfare, men wore red cedar armour, a cedar helmet, and cedar loincloths. They wielded spears, clubs, harpoons, bows and slings. Wicker shields were common.

Calendar/life

The Nisga’a calendar revolves around harvesting of foods and goods used. The original year followed the various moons throughout the year.
  • Hobiyee: Like a Spoon. This is the traditional time to celebrate the new year, also known as Hoobiyee.
  • X̱saak: To Eat Oolichan. The oolichan return to the Nass River the end of February/beginning of March. They are the first food harvested after the winter, which marks the beginning of the harvesting year.
  • Mmaal: To Use Canoes Again. The ice begins to break on the river, allowing for canoes to be used again
  • Yansa’alt: Leaves Are Blooming. The leaves begin to flourish once again
  • Miso’o: Sockeye Salmon. Sockeye salmon are harvested
  • X̱maay: To Eat Berries. various berries are harvested
  • Wii Hoon: Great Salmon. Great amounts of salmon are harvested
  • Genuugwiikw: Trail of the Marmot. Small game such as marmots are hunted
  • X̱laaxw: To Eat Trout. Trout are the main staple for this month
  • Gwilatkw: To Blanket. The earth is "Blanketed" with snow
  • Luut’aa: To Sit. The sun is sitting in one spot
  • Ḵ’aliiyee: To Walk North. This time of year, the sun begins to go north again
  • Buxwlaks: To Blow Around. Blow around refers to the amount of wind during this time of year

Geography

Approximately 2,000 people live in the Nass Valley. Another 5,000 Nisga’a live elsewhere in Canada, predominantly within the three urban societies noted in the section below.

Nisgaʼa villages

The Nisga’a people number about 7,000. In British Columbia, the Nisga’a Nation is represented by four villages:

Nisgaʼa diaspora

Many Nisga’a people have moved to cities for their opportunities. Concentrations are found in three urban areas outside traditional Nisga’a territory:

Treaty

On August 4, 1998, a land-claim was settled between the Nisga’a, the government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. As part of the settlement in the Nass River valley, nearly of land was officially recognized as Nisga’a, and a water reservation was also created. Bear Glacier Provincial Park was also created as a result of this agreement. The land-claim's settlement was the first formal treaty signed by a First Nation in British Columbia since the Douglas Treaties in 1854 and Treaty 8 in 1899. The land owned collectively is under internal pressures from the Nisga'a people to turn it over into a system of individual ownership. This would have an effect on the rest of Canada in regards to First Nations lands.

History

The Tseax Cone in a valley above and east of the Ksi Sii Aks was the source for an eruption during the 18th century that killed approximately 2,000 Nisga’a people from poisonous volcanic gases.

Government

The government bodies of the Nisgaʼa include the Nisgaʼa Lisims government, the government of the Nisgaʼa Nation, and the Nisgaʼa village governments, one for each of the four Nisgaʼa villages. The Nisgaʼa Lisims government is in the Nisgaʼa Lisims Government Building in Gitlaxt'aamiks.
OfficeEnglish nameNisga’a nameTribe
PresidentEva ClaytonNoxs Tsʼimuwa JiixwGanada
Secretary-treasurerCharles MorvenBilaam ʼNeeḵhlGanada
ChairpersonBrian TaitGadim Sbayt GanGanada
Chairperson, Council of EldersHerbert MorvenKʼeex̱kwLaxgibuu
Chief councillorsClaude Barton, Sr, Ging̱olxMaaksgum GaakGanada
Chief councillorsDon Leeson, Lax̱g̱alts’apG̱aḵʼetgum YeeLaxgibuu
Chief councillorsElaine Moore, GitwinksihlkwDaaxheetGanada
Chief councillorsCalvin Morven, Gitlax̱tʼaamiksNeexdaxGanada
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesAndrea Doolan, Tsʼamiks – VancouverGanim TsʼimawsGiskʼaast
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesTravis Angus, Tsʼamiks – VancouverNiʼismiouLaxgibuu
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesKeith Azak, Gitlax̱dax – TerraceLaxsgiik
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesMaryanne Stanley, Gitlax̱dax – TerraceGiskʼaast
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesClifford Morgan, Gitmax̱maḵʼay – Prince Rupert/Port EdwardNiʼisḴʼanmalaaGanada
Nisg̱aʼa urban local representativesJuanita Parnell, Gitmax̱maḵʼay – Prince Rupert/Port EdwardLaxsgiik

Museum

In 2011 the Nisg̱aʼa Museum, a project of the Nisga'a Lisims government, opened in Lax̱g̱altsʼap. It contains many historical artifacts of the Nisga'a people returned after many decades in major museums beyond the Nass Valley.

Prominent Nisga’a