Gitlakdamix, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Gitlakdamix or Gitlaxt'aamiks or New Aiyansh is a Nisga'a
Village about 100km north of Terrace
, in the heart of the Nass River
valley, Canada
. It is one of four Nisga'a villages. Though it is located in British Columbia
, it is also considered the "capital of the Nisga'a Nation." The Nisga'a Lisims Government building (Wilp si'Ayuukhl Nisga'a), which opened in 2000, is located here. The area is home to 806 people and the Nisga'a Memorial Lava Beds Provincial Park
. Gitlakdamix is located overlooking a lava flow that erupted in the 18th century. The source for this lava flow was the Tseax Cone
.
In front of the Nisga'a Elementary/Secondary School stands the Unity Totem Pole
which, raised in 1977, was the first totem pole raised in the Nass Valley since the late 19th century.
.
The name New Aiyansh was established in 1974. Though the name Aiyansh was originally at a location 3 miles to the northeast, maps now show both Aiyansh and New Aiyansh at the modern location. The original Aiyansh was partly destroyed by flood in November 1917 and the community moved to Gitlaxt'aamiks. A later flood in this community led to relocation to the higher site which became New Aiyansh in the late 1960s.
New Aiyansh was formerly New Aiyansh Indian Reserve No. 1, which was extinguished by the Nisga'a Treaty as of May 11, 2000. The location of "old" Aiyansh was formerly Aiyansh Indian Reserve 1, also extinguished by the terms of the Nisga'a Treaty like all other Nisga'a-related Indian Reserves.
and hosts Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School. This school provides elementary school education for this village and secondary school education to all four Nisga'a Villages in the Nass Valley. The offices of the School District are located here.
Nisga'a
The Nisga’a , often formerly spelled Nishga and spelled in the Nisga’a language as Nisga’a, are an Indigenous nation or First Nation in Canada. They live in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. Their name comes from a combination of two Nisga’a words: Nisk’-"top lip" and...
Village about 100km north of 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...
, in the heart of the Nass River
Nass River
The Nass River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It flows from the Coast Mountains southwest to Nass Bay, a sidewater of Portland Inlet, which connects to the North Pacific Ocean via the Dixon Entrance...
valley, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is one of four Nisga'a villages. Though it is located 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...
, it is also considered the "capital of the Nisga'a Nation." The Nisga'a Lisims Government building (Wilp si'Ayuukhl Nisga'a), which opened in 2000, is located here. The area is home to 806 people and the Nisga'a Memorial Lava Beds Provincial Park
Nisga'a Memorial Lava Beds Provincial Park
Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Nass River valley in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, about 80 kilometres north of Terrace, and near the Nisga'a Villages of Gitlakdamix and Gitwinksihlkw.The park was established by Order in Council on April 29, 1992,...
. Gitlakdamix is located overlooking a lava flow that erupted in the 18th century. The source for this lava flow was the Tseax Cone
Tseax Cone
The Tseax Cone , also called the Tseax River Cone or alternately the Aiyansh Volcano, is a young cinder cone and adjacent lava flows associated with the Nass Ranges and the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province...
.
In front of the Nisga'a Elementary/Secondary School stands the Unity Totem Pole
Totem pole
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America...
which, raised in 1977, was the first totem pole raised in the Nass Valley since the late 19th century.
Name origin
Gitlakdamix means "people of the ponds" in the Nisga'a languageNisga'a language
Nisga’a is a Tsimshianic language of the Nisga'a people of northwestern British Columbia. Nisga'a people, however, do not like the term Tshimshianic as they feel that it gives precedence to Coast Tsimshian. Nisga’a is very closely related to Gitksan...
.
The name New Aiyansh was established in 1974. Though the name Aiyansh was originally at a location 3 miles to the northeast, maps now show both Aiyansh and New Aiyansh at the modern location. The original Aiyansh was partly destroyed by flood in November 1917 and the community moved to Gitlaxt'aamiks. A later flood in this community led to relocation to the higher site which became New Aiyansh in the late 1960s.
New Aiyansh was formerly New Aiyansh Indian Reserve No. 1, which was extinguished by the Nisga'a Treaty as of May 11, 2000. The location of "old" Aiyansh was formerly Aiyansh Indian Reserve 1, also extinguished by the terms of the Nisga'a Treaty like all other Nisga'a-related Indian Reserves.
Education
The community is served by School District 92 Nisga'aSchool District 92 Nisga'a
School District 92 Nisga'a is a school district in British Columbia, Canada. Situated in the Nass River valley it covers the First Nations area of the Nisga'a people north of Terrace...
and hosts Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School. This school provides elementary school education for this village and secondary school education to all four Nisga'a Villages in the Nass Valley. The offices of the School District are located here.