Gwaʼsala-ʼNakwaxdaʼxw Nations

Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Territories

'Nakwaxda'xw Chief

The Gwa'sala-Nakwaxda'xw Nations are an amalgamation of two Kwakwaka'wakw peoples in a band government based on northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, whose main reserve community is near the town of Port Hardy in the Queen Charlotte Strait region of the Central Coast region of British Columbia, Canada. In the 1960s the Gwa'sala (Gwaʼsa̱la), the 'Nakwaxda'xw (ʼNakʼwaxdaʼx̱w) and the Kwakiutl peoples were amalgamated. Eventually the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations and the Kwakiutl First Nation separated into the two groups that are recognized by the federal government to this day. Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations were forcibly relocated from their homelands to a location near Port Hardy.

In 2024, the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations will have constructed a Big House, a central place to conduct traditional governance and business. The Nations have not had a Big house since the forced relocation in 1964.

First Nations reserves

Totem pole within the community

Gwa'sala beater

'Nakwaxda'xw Chief's Daughter

First Nations reserves under the governance of the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw are:^[1]

• Ann Island IR No. 7, on Ann Island in Smith Sound, 10.10 ha. 51°16′00″N 127°48′00″W / 51.26667°N 127.80000°W / 51.26667; -127.80000 (Ann Island IR No. 7)^[2]
• Dedagaus IR No. 8, on the north shore of Seymour Inlet, 1/2 mile north of the Nahwokto Rapids, 0.30 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.51667°W / 51.10000; -127.51667 (Dedegaus IR No. 8)^[3]
• Halowis IR No. 5, at the mouth of Smokehouse Creek at the head of Long Lake, 3.60 ha. 51°18′00″N 127°03′00″W / 51.30000°N 127.05000°W / 51.30000; -127.05000 (Halowis IR No. 5)^[4]
• Kai-too-kwis IR No. 15, at the head of Chief Nollis Bay on Allison Sound, north of Belize Inlet, 20.80 ha. 51°11′00″N 127°05′00″W / 51.18333°N 127.08333°W / 51.18333; -127.08333 (Kai-too-kwis IR No. 15)^[5]
• Kequesta IR No. 1, on the north shore of the entrance to Nuget Sound, 70.40 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°28′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.46667°W / 51.10000; -127.46667 (Kequesta IR No. 1)^[6]
• Khazisela IR No. 7, on an island in the centre of the Nahkwocto Raids at the north end of Schooner Channel, 0.40 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.51667°W / 51.10000; -127.51667 (Khazisela IR No. 7)^[7]
• Ko-kwi-iss IR No. 14, on the east shore of Allison Sound to the north of Belize Inlet, 6.40 ha. 51°09′00″N 127°06′00″W / 51.15000°N 127.10000°W / 51.15000; -127.10000 (Ko-kwi-iss IR No. 14)^[8]
• Kuthlo IR No. 18, at the head of Salmon Arm of Seymour Inlet, 3.0 ha. 51°04′00″N 126°39′00″W / 51.06667°N 126.65000°W / 51.06667; -126.65000 (Kuthlo IR No. 18)^[9]
• Kwetahkis IR No. 9, on the north shore of Whelakis Lagoon on Seymour Inlet, 4.0 ha. 50°58′00″N 127°13′00″W / 50.96667°N 127.21667°W / 50.96667; -127.21667 (Kwetahkis IR No. 9)^[10]
• Mahpahkum IR No. 4, on Deserters Island in the Deserters Group, and including small off-shore islands, 7.80 ha. 50°53′00″N 127°28′00″W / 50.88333°N 127.46667°W / 50.88333; -127.46667 (Mahpahkum IR No. 4)^[11]
• Na-kwockto IR No. 2, on three small islands at the mouth of Nugent Sound, 1/2 mile south of Kequesta IR No. 1, 0.40 ha. 51°05′00″N 127°28′00″W / 51.08333°N 127.46667°W / 51.08333; -127.46667 (Na-kwockto IR No. 2)^[12]
• Nathlegalis IR No. 3, comprising Indian Island and five smaller islands in Takush Harbour in Browning Channel, 134.40 ha. 51°17′00″N 127°39′00″W / 51.28333°N 127.65000°W / 51.28333; -127.65000 (Nathlegalis IR No. 3)^[13]
• Nekite IR No. 2, at the mouth of the Nekite River at the head of Smith Inlet, 66.80 ha. 51°25′00″N 127°05′00″W / 51.41667°N 127.08333°W / 51.41667; -127.08333 (Nekite IR No. 2)^[14]
• Owh-wis-too-a-wan IR No. 10, at Eclipse Narrows at the mouth of Frederick Sound, Seymour Inlet, 5.30 ha. 51°05′00″N 126°46′00″W / 51.08333°N 126.76667°W / 51.08333; -126.76667 (Owh-wis-too-a-wan IR No. 10)^[15]
• Pahas IR No. 3, on the north shore of Blunden Harbour, 39.90 ha. 50°54′00″N 127°18′00″W / 50.90000°N 127.30000°W / 50.90000; -127.30000 (Pahas IR No. 3)^[16]
• Pel-looth'l Kai IR No. 17, at the east end of Belize Inlet, 1.70 ha. 51°07′00″N 126°55′00″W / 51.11667°N 126.91667°W / 51.11667; -126.91667 (Pel-looth'l Kai IR No. 17)^[17]
• Peneece IR No. 11, at the head of Wigwam Bay on the north shore of Seymour Inlet, 3.50 ha. 51°07′00″N 126°42′00″W / 51.11667°N 126.70000°W / 51.11667; -126.70000 (Peneece IR No. 11)^[18]
• Saagoombahlah IR No. 6, on the east shore of Schooner Passage east of Braham Island, 1.80 ha. 51°05′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.08333°N 127.51667°W / 51.08333; -127.51667 (Saagoombahlah IR No. 6)^[19]
• Ta-a-ack IR No. 5, on one of the islands in the Storm Islands at the west end of Queen Charlotte Strait, 13.90 ha. 51°02′00″N 127°43′00″W / 51.03333°N 127.71667°W / 51.03333; -127.71667 (Ta-a-ack IR No. 5)^[20]
• Toksee IR No. 4, at the junction of Long Lake and Wyclees Lagoon, 5.60 ha. 51°14′00″N 127°20′00″W / 51.23333°N 127.33333°W / 51.23333; -127.33333 (Toksee IR No. 4)^[21]
• Tsai-kwi-ee IR No. 13, at Village Bay on the east shore of Mereworth Sound, 4.60 ha. 51°10′00″N 127°25′00″W / 51.16667°N 127.41667°W / 51.16667; -127.41667 (Tsai-kwi-ee IR No. 13)^[22]
• Tseetsum-Sawlasilah IR No. 6, on the north shore of Naysash Inlet, Smith Sound, 2.10 ha. 51°20′00″N 127°19′00″W / 51.33333°N 127.31667°W / 51.33333; -127.31667 (Tseetsum-Sawlasilah IR No. 6)^[23]
• Tsulquate IR No. 4, on the west shore of Hardy Bay, one mile north of Port Hardy, 59.90 ha. 50°44′00″N 127°30′00″W / 50.73333°N 127.50000°W / 50.73333; -127.50000 (Tsulquate IR No. 4)^[24]
• Waump IR No. 16, at the head of Allison Sound, Belize Inlet, 37.60 ha. 51°11′00″N 126°55′00″W / 51.18333°N 126.91667°W / 51.18333; -126.91667 (Waump IR No. 16)^[25]
• Wawwat'l IR No 12, on the right bank of the Seymour River, two miles from the head of Seymour Inlet, 66.80 ha. 51°13′00″N 126°40′00″W / 51.21667°N 126.66667°W / 51.21667; -126.66667 (Wawwat'l IR No. 12)^[26]
• Wyclese IR No. 1, on the south shore of Smith Sound at the entrance to Wyclees Lagoon, 223 ha. 51°17′00″N 127°21′00″W / 51.28333°N 127.35000°W / 51.28333; -127.35000 (Wyclese IR No. 1)^[27]

See also

• Kwak'wala (language)

References

1. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada "Reserves/Settlements/Villages Detail"
2. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Ann Island IR No. 7"
3. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Dedeguahs 8 (Indian reserve)"
4. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Halowis 5 (Indian reserve)"
5. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Kai-too-kwis 15 (Indian reserve)"
6. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Kequesta 1 (Indian reserve)"
7. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Khazisela 7 (Indian reserve)"
8. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Ko-kwi-iss 14 (Indian reserve)"
9. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Kuthlo 18 (Indian reserve)"
10. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Kwetahkis 9 (Indian reserve)"
11. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Mahpahkum 4 (Indian reserve)"
12. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Na-kwockto 2 (Indian reserve)"
13. "Nathlegalis 3 (Indian reserve)"
14. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Nekite 2 (Indian reserve)"
15. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Owh-wis-too-a-wan 10 (Indian reserve)"
16. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Pahas 3 (Indian reserve)"
17. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Pel-looth'l Kai 17 (Indian reserve)"
18. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Peneece 11 (Indian reserve)"
19. BC Names/GeoBC entry Saagooombahlah 6 (Indian reserve)"
20. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Ta-a-ack 5 (Indian reserve)"
21. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Toksee 4 (Indian Reserve)"
22. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Tsai-kwi-ee 13 (Indian reserve)"
23. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Tseetsum-Sawlasilah 6 (Indian reserve)"
24. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Tsulquate 4 (Indian reserve)"
25. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Waump 16 (Indian reserve)"
26. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Wawwat'l 12 (Indian reserve)"
27. BC Names/GeoBC entry "Wyclese 1 (Indian reserve)"

External links

• BC Treaty.net information page