Giluts'aaw
Encyclopedia
The Giluts'aaẅ are one of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian
nation in British Columbia
, Canada, and one of the nine of those tribes making up the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River
resident at Lax Kw'alaams
(a.k.a. Port Simpson), B.C. The name Giluts'aaw means literally "people of the inside" (referring to their traditional village site behind a small island on a slough along the Skeena). Their traditional territory is the area around Lakelse Lake, near present-day Terrace
, B.C., at the Skeena River.
Since 1834, they have been based at Lax Kw'alaams, when a Hudson's Bay Company
fort was established there. When the village around the fort was laid out into tribal "neighborhoods," the Giluts'aaw were the one tribe situated on the shore east of the fort rather than to the west.
However, one Giluts'aaw house-group (extended matrilineal family), the House of Niskiimas (belonging to the Ganhada
or Raven clan), has members who are today associated with the Kitsumkalum
community.
In the late nineteenth century the chieftainship of the Giluts'aaw was held by Victoria Young, a key convert of Lax Kw'alaams's Methodist missionary Thomas Crosby
. She succeeded to the Giluts'aaw Gispwudwada
(Killerwhale clan) name-title Niisłgümiik of the House of Niisłgümiik, Giluts'aaw's leading royal house, when no male heirs were available. However, despite marrying a holder of the Gispaxlo'ots
chieftainship Ligeex
, she bore no children and after her death in 1898 the name Niisłgümiik was bequeathed to a brother's son of a different clan whom she had adopted into the Gispwudwada. This person may be Herbert Swanson, whom the anthropologist Marius Barbeau
described in 1950 as having been, in 1915, the holder of Niisłgümiik, living at Metlakatla, B.C.
.
In 1915 the anthropologist Marius Barbeau
photographed what remained of a "Prince of the Grizzlies" totem pole belonging to the Giluts'aaw Gispwuwada House of Niisnawaa at Lax Kw'alaams.
The anthropologist Viola Garfield
reported in 1938 that the Giluts'aaw was at that point in the situation of having two chiefs. One, Niisnawa, was likely, she wrote, to see his line die out with him as he had no heirs. The second, Niisłgümiik, i.e. Victoria Young's nephew, Garfield considered a "subchief" to Niisnawa.
In 1935 William Beynon
recorded that Giluts'aaw people in Lax Kw'alaams included 29 members of the Gispwudwada
(Killerwhale clan) and 2 members of the Ganhada
(Raven). Another house-group, with no members during this period, was the House of Laa'is, of the Laxgibuu
(Wolf) clan.
Tsimshian
The Tsimshian are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tsimshian translates to Inside the Skeena River. Their communities are in British Columbia and Alaska, around Terrace and Prince Rupert and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island. There are approximately 10,000...
nation in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada, and one of the nine of those tribes making up the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River
Skeena River
The Skeena River is the second longest river entirely within British Columbia, Canada . The Skeena is an important transportation artery, particularly for the Tsimshian and the Gitxsan - whose names mean "inside the Skeena River" and "people of the Skeena River" respectively, and also during the...
resident at Lax Kw'alaams
Lax Kw'alaams
Lax-Kw'alaams , usually called Port Simpson, is an Indigenous village community in British Columbia, Canada, not far from the city of Prince Rupert. It is the home of the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River, which are nine of the fourteen tribes of the Tsimshian nation...
(a.k.a. Port Simpson), B.C. The name Giluts'aaw means literally "people of the inside" (referring to their traditional village site behind a small island on a slough along the Skeena). Their traditional territory is the area around Lakelse Lake, near present-day Terrace
Terrace, British Columbia
Terrace is a city on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The Kitselas people, a tribe of the Tsimshian Nation, have lived in the Terrace area for thousands of years. The community population fell between 2001 and 2006 from 12,109 with a regional population of 19,980 to 11,320 and...
, B.C., at the Skeena River.
Since 1834, they have been based at Lax Kw'alaams, when a Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
fort was established there. When the village around the fort was laid out into tribal "neighborhoods," the Giluts'aaw were the one tribe situated on the shore east of the fort rather than to the west.
However, one Giluts'aaw house-group (extended matrilineal family), the House of Niskiimas (belonging to the Ganhada
Ganhada
The Ganhada is the name for the Raven "clan" in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to the Ganada Tribe of the Nisga'a nation in British Columbia and the Frog clan among B.C.'s Gitxsan nation...
or Raven clan), has members who are today associated with the Kitsumkalum
Kitsumkalum
Kitsumkalum is one of the 14 bands of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and is also the name of their Indian Reserve just west of the city of Terrace, British Columbia, where the Kitsumkalum River flows into the Skeena River...
community.
In the late nineteenth century the chieftainship of the Giluts'aaw was held by Victoria Young, a key convert of Lax Kw'alaams's Methodist missionary Thomas Crosby
Thomas Crosby
The Rev. Thomas Crosby was an English Methodist missionary known for his work among the First Nations people of coastal British Columbia, Canada....
. She succeeded to the Giluts'aaw Gispwudwada
Gispwudwada
The Gispwudwada is the name for the Killerwhale "clan" in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to the Gisgahaast clan in British Columbia's Gitksan nation and the Gisk'ahaast/Gisk'aast Tribe of the Nisga'a...
(Killerwhale clan) name-title Niisłgümiik of the House of Niisłgümiik, Giluts'aaw's leading royal house, when no male heirs were available. However, despite marrying a holder of the Gispaxlo'ots
Gispaxlo'ots
The Gispaxlo'ots are one of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian nation in British Columbia, Canada, and one of the nine of those tribes making up the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River resident at Lax Kw'alaams , B.C...
chieftainship Ligeex
Ligeex
Ligeex is an hereditary name-title belonging to the Gispaxlo'ots tribe of the Tsimshian First Nation from the village of Lax Kw'alaams , British Columbia, Canada. The name, and the chieftainship it represents, is passed along matrilineally within the royal house called the House of Ligeex...
, she bore no children and after her death in 1898 the name Niisłgümiik was bequeathed to a brother's son of a different clan whom she had adopted into the Gispwudwada. This person may be Herbert Swanson, whom the anthropologist Marius Barbeau
Marius Barbeau
Charles Marius Barbeau, , also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology...
described in 1950 as having been, in 1915, the holder of Niisłgümiik, living at Metlakatla, B.C.
Metlakatla, British Columbia
Metlakatla, British Columbia, is a small community that is one of the seven Tsimshian village communities in British Columbia, Canada. It is situated at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, British Columbia...
.
In 1915 the anthropologist Marius Barbeau
Marius Barbeau
Charles Marius Barbeau, , also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology...
photographed what remained of a "Prince of the Grizzlies" totem pole belonging to the Giluts'aaw Gispwuwada House of Niisnawaa at Lax Kw'alaams.
The anthropologist Viola Garfield
Viola Garfield
Viola E. Garfield was an American anthropologist best known for her work on the social organization and plastic arts of the Tsimshian nation in British Columbia and Alaska.-Early life:...
reported in 1938 that the Giluts'aaw was at that point in the situation of having two chiefs. One, Niisnawa, was likely, she wrote, to see his line die out with him as he had no heirs. The second, Niisłgümiik, i.e. Victoria Young's nephew, Garfield considered a "subchief" to Niisnawa.
In 1935 William Beynon
William Beynon
William Beynon was a hereditary chief from the Tsimshian nation and an oral historian who served as ethnographer, translator, and linguistic consultant to many anthropologists....
recorded that Giluts'aaw people in Lax Kw'alaams included 29 members of the Gispwudwada
Gispwudwada
The Gispwudwada is the name for the Killerwhale "clan" in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to the Gisgahaast clan in British Columbia's Gitksan nation and the Gisk'ahaast/Gisk'aast Tribe of the Nisga'a...
(Killerwhale clan) and 2 members of the Ganhada
Ganhada
The Ganhada is the name for the Raven "clan" in the language of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, Canada, and southeast Alaska. It is considered analogous or identical to the Ganada Tribe of the Nisga'a nation in British Columbia and the Frog clan among B.C.'s Gitxsan nation...
(Raven). Another house-group, with no members during this period, was the House of Laa'is, of the Laxgibuu
Laxgibuu
The Laxgibuu is the name for the Wolf "clan" 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...
(Wolf) clan.
Prominent Giluts'aaws
- Frederick AlexceeFrederick AlexceeFrederick Alexcee was a Tsimshian carver and painter from the community of Lax Kw'alaams , British Columbia, Canada....
, artist
- Victoria Young, chieftainess
- Shannon ThunderbirdShannon ThunderbirdShannon Thunderbird, is a Coast Tsimshian First Nations singer-songwriter, storyteller, educator, speaker, playwright and novelist.She is an Elder of the Giluts'aaw tribe, Royal House of Niis'gumiik, Gispwudwada Clan. She is the President and Artistic Director of Teya Peya Productions, an...
, Artist/Educator