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Gitxsan

January 01, 1970

This article is about the ethnographic group. For the language, see Gitxsan language.

Gitxsan (also spelled Gitksan) are an Indigenous people in Canada whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English (Git: means "people of" and Xsan: means "the River of Mist"). Gitksan territory encompasses approximately 35,000 km2 (14,000 sq mi) of land, from the basin of the upper Skeena River from about Legate Creek to the Skeena's headwaters and its surrounding tributaries.[2] 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 cultural community.

Gitxsan
Gitxsan on the banks of the Skeena River at Hazelton, 1901
Total population
5,680 (2016 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Canada
British Columbia
Languages
English • Gitxsan
Religion
Indigenous spirituality
Related ethnic groups
Nisga'a
PeopleGitx̱san
LanguageGitxsanimaax
CountryGitx̱san Lax̱yip

Society and culture edit

Gitxsan are a matrilineal society that consists of Frog, Eagle, Wolf, and Fireweed Clans. Each clan consists of a series of independent Houses (Wilp), each with their own High Chief, and traditional territories and fishing sites. Marriage within a clan is forbidden.[citation needed]

There are approximately 5,000 people British Columbia wide with many living in traditional Gitxsan territory. Many also live elsewhere in British Columbia, in places such as Terrace, Smithers, and in Vancouver, as well as around the world.

Eighty per cent of the people living on the lands surrounding Legate creek to the Skeena headwaters are Gitxsan ('People of the River Mist') and archaeological evidence supports a continuous habitation of at least 10,000 years. Their traditional language is called Gitxsanimaax.

A museum known as 'Ksan displaying some traditional and modern Gitksan art and history is located on the Gitanmaax reserve near Hazelton.

Title and treaties edit

The aboriginal title rights of the Gitxsan and their neighbours, the Wetʼsuwetʼen, were affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in its 1997 Delgamuukw decision.

To date, a treaty agreement between the Gitxsan Nation and the Federal Government of Canada and Provincial Government of British Columbia has not been reached.

Communities edit

Some of the Gitxsan (Gitksan) villages are, divided by dialect:

Gitxsan dialect or Gitxsanimax̱, also known as Eastern Gitxsan dialect speaking bands in Gigeenix (eastern region):

Gitsken dialect or Gitsenimx̱ , also known as Western Gitksan dialect speaking bands in Gyeets (western region):

Notable people of Gitxsan descent edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Aboriginal Ancestry Responses (73), Single and Multiple Aboriginal Responses (4), Residence on or off reserve (3), Residence inside or outside Inuit Nunangat (7), Age (8A) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2016 Census - 25% Sample Data". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  2. ^ Gitxsan Chiefs - Who We Are - Recent History
  3. ^ Gallery, Belkin. "Judith Morgan". Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  4. ^ British Columbia, Order of. "Neil J. Sterritt". Retrieved 6 November 2023.

Bibliography edit

  • Adams, John W. (1973) The Gitksan Potlatch: Population Flux, Resource Ownership and Reciprocity. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston of Canada.
  • Barbeau, Marius (1928) The Downfall of Temlaham. Toronto: MacMillan.
  • Barbeau, Marius (1929) Totem Poles of the Gitksan, Upper Skeena River, British Columbia. Ottawa: Canada, Department of Mines.
  • Beynon, William (2000) Potlatch at Gitsegukla: William Beynon’s 1945 Field Notebooks. Ed. by Margaret Anderson and Marjorie Halpin. Vancouver: U.B.C. Press.
  • Bookbuildes of 'Ksan (1977) We-Gyet Wanders On: Legends of the Northwest. Saanichton, B.C.: Hancock House Publishers.
  • Cove, John J. (1982) "The Gitksan Traditional Concept of Land Ownership." Anthropologica, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 3–17.
  • Daly, Richard (2005) Our Box Was Full: An Ethnography for the Delgamuukw Plaintiffs. Vancouver: UBC Press.
  • Duff, Wilson (ed.) (1959) Histories, Territories and Laws of the Kitwancool. Victoria: Royal British Columbia Museum.
  • Galois, Robert, and Neil J. Sterritt, (1998) Tribal Boundaries in the Nass Watershed. Vancouver: U.B.C. Press.
  • Gibson, John Frederic (1972) A Small and Charming World. Toronto: Collins Publishers.
  • Glavin, Terry (1990) A Death Feast in Dimlahamid. Vancouver: New Star Books.
  • Harris, Christie (1975) Sky Man on the Totem Pole? New York: Atheneum.
  • Harris, Kenneth B. (1974) Visitors Who Never Left: The Origin of the People of Damelahamid. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.
  • Monet, Don, and Ardythe Wilson (1992) Colonialism on Trial: Indigenous Land Rights and the Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en Sovereignty Case. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers.
  • Sterritt, Neil J., (2020) Mapping My Way Home: A Gitxsan History. Smithers, BC: Creekstone Press.
  • Russell, Roy (2015) Feast: A Gitksan Story

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gitxsan.
  • Gitxsan Nation official website
  • Evictions

January 01, 1970
gitxsan, this, article, about, ethnographic, group, language, language, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, april,. This article is about the ethnographic group For the language see Gitxsan language This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations April 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gitxsan also spelled Gitksan are an Indigenous people in Canada whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English Git means people of and Xsan means the River of Mist Gitksan territory encompasses approximately 35 000 km2 14 000 sq mi of land from the basin of the upper Skeena River from about Legate Creek to the Skeena s headwaters and its surrounding tributaries 2 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 cultural community GitxsanGitxsan on the banks of the Skeena River at Hazelton 1901Total population5 680 2016 census 1 Regions with significant populationsCanadaBritish ColumbiaLanguagesEnglish GitxsanReligionIndigenous spiritualityRelated ethnic groupsNisga a PeopleGitx sanLanguageGitxsanimaaxCountryGitx san Lax yip Contents 1 Society and culture 2 Title and treaties 3 Communities 4 Notable people of Gitxsan descent 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksSociety and culture editGitxsan are a matrilineal society that consists of Frog Eagle Wolf and Fireweed Clans Each clan consists of a series of independent Houses Wilp each with their own High Chief and traditional territories and fishing sites Marriage within a clan is forbidden citation needed There are approximately 5 000 people British Columbia wide with many living in traditional Gitxsan territory Many also live elsewhere in British Columbia in places such as Terrace Smithers and in Vancouver as well as around the world Eighty per cent of the people living on the lands surrounding Legate creek to the Skeena headwaters are Gitxsan People of the River Mist and archaeological evidence supports a continuous habitation of at least 10 000 years Their traditional language is called Gitxsanimaax A museum known as Ksan displaying some traditional and modern Gitksan art and history is located on the Gitanmaax reserve near Hazelton Title and treaties editThe aboriginal title rights of the Gitxsan and their neighbours the Wetʼsuwetʼen were affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in its 1997 Delgamuukw decision To date a treaty agreement between the Gitxsan Nation and the Federal Government of Canada and Provincial Government of British Columbia has not been reached Communities editSome of the Gitxsan Gitksan villages are divided by dialect Gitxsan dialect or Gitxsanimax also known as Eastern Gitxsan dialect speaking bands in Gigeenix eastern region Old Hazelton traditional name Gitanmaax Gitanmaax Band Kispiox traditional name Anspa yaxw Kispiox Band Council Glen Vowell traditional name Sik e Dakh Glen Vowell Indian Band Gitsken dialect or Gitsenimx also known as Western Gitksan dialect speaking bands in Gyeets western region Gitanyow formerly Kitwancool Gitanyow Band Gitsegukla formerly Kitsegeucla Gitsegukla Indian Band formerly Kitsegugkla Kitwanga traditional name Gitwangak Gitwangak Indian Band formerly Kitwanga the Gitksan community of Cedarvale traditional name Minskinish or Meanskaniist belong as Koonwat Indian Reserve No 7 to the Gitwangak Notable people of Gitxsan descent editCindy Blackstock Simon Gunanoot long sought after fugitive later cleared of wrongdoing Walter Harris hereditary chief and artist carver Doreen Jensen artist carver activist and educator Judith P Morgan painter 3 Angela Sterritt journalist Neil J Sterritt author and activist 4 Billy ThunderKloud singer entertainer Nashville recording artist 1975 Outstanding Indian of the Year hereditary chief Nathaniel P Wilkerson artist carver Jean Virginia Sampare an abducted girl missing from Gitsegukla British Columbia CanadaReferences edit Aboriginal Ancestry Responses 73 Single and Multiple Aboriginal Responses 4 Residence on or off reserve 3 Residence inside or outside Inuit Nunangat 7 Age 8A and Sex 3 for the Population in Private Households of Canada Provinces and Territories 2016 Census 25 Sample Data www12 statcan gc ca Government of Canada Retrieved 2017 11 23 Gitxsan Chiefs Who We Are Recent History Gallery Belkin Judith Morgan Retrieved 10 February 2017 British Columbia Order of Neil J Sterritt Retrieved 6 November 2023 Bibliography editAdams John W 1973 The Gitksan Potlatch Population Flux Resource Ownership and Reciprocity Toronto Holt Rinehart and Winston of Canada Barbeau Marius 1928 The Downfall of Temlaham Toronto MacMillan Barbeau Marius 1929 Totem Poles of the Gitksan Upper Skeena River British Columbia Ottawa Canada Department of Mines Beynon William 2000 Potlatch at Gitsegukla William Beynon s 1945 Field Notebooks Ed by Margaret Anderson and Marjorie Halpin Vancouver U B C Press Bookbuildes of Ksan 1977 We Gyet Wanders On Legends of the Northwest Saanichton B C Hancock House Publishers Cove John J 1982 The Gitksan Traditional Concept of Land Ownership Anthropologica vol 24 no 1 pp 3 17 Daly Richard 2005 Our Box Was Full An Ethnography for the Delgamuukw Plaintiffs Vancouver UBC Press Duff Wilson ed 1959 Histories Territories and Laws of the Kitwancool Victoria Royal British Columbia Museum Galois Robert and Neil J Sterritt 1998 Tribal Boundaries in the Nass Watershed Vancouver U B C Press Gibson John Frederic 1972 A Small and Charming World Toronto Collins Publishers Glavin Terry 1990 A Death Feast in Dimlahamid Vancouver New Star Books Harris Christie 1975 Sky Man on the Totem Pole New York Atheneum Harris Kenneth B 1974 Visitors Who Never Left The Origin of the People of Damelahamid Vancouver University of British Columbia Press Monet Don and Ardythe Wilson 1992 Colonialism on Trial Indigenous Land Rights and the Gitksan and Wet suwet en Sovereignty Case Philadelphia New Society Publishers Sterritt Neil J 2020 Mapping My Way Home A Gitxsan History Smithers BC Creekstone Press Russell Roy 2015 Feast A Gitksan StoryExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gitxsan Gitxsan Nation official website Evictions Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gitxsan amp oldid 1215655012, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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