Gitwinksihlkw, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Gitwinksihlkw formerly Canyon City, is a Nisga'a
Village in the Nass River
valley of northwestern British Columbia
, Canada
, near that river's confluence with the Tseax River
. An older spelling is Kitwilluchsilt. It is one of four Nisga'a villages. Road access is via the Nisga'a Highway
.
Gitwinksihlkw means "people of the lizard's habitat", a reference to the presence of ksilkw (salamander
s) in the area prior to the eruption of Tseax Cone
in the 18th century which buried the neighbouring villages of Wii Lax K'abit and Lax Ksiluux
.
and hosts Gitwinksihlkw Elementary School. The secondary school is in Gitlakdamix
.
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 in 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 of northwestern 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
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...
, near that river's confluence with the Tseax River
Tseax River
The Tseax River, also known as Ksi Sii Aks in the Nisga'a language, is a tributary of the Nass River in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is most notable as the namesake of Tseax Cone, a volcano within its basin that was responsible for an eruption that killed 2,000 Nisga'a people. Prior...
. An older spelling is Kitwilluchsilt. It is one of four Nisga'a villages. Road access is via the Nisga'a Highway
Nisga'a Highway
The Nisga'a Highway is a highway that starts in Terrace, British Columbia, Canada at Highway 16. The route provides paved access to the settlements of the Nisga'a Nation - Gitlakdamix , Gitwinksihlkw , Gingolx , Laxgalts'ap , Nass Camp and others...
.
Gitwinksihlkw means "people of the lizard's habitat", a reference to the presence of ksilkw (salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
s) in the area prior to the eruption of 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 the 18th century which buried the neighbouring villages of Wii Lax K'abit and Lax Ksiluux
Lax Ksiluux, British Columbia
Lax Ksiluux is the name of a former First Nations community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It existed on the south side of the Nass River near a creek known as Ts'oohl Ts'ap....
.
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 Gitwinksihlkw Elementary School. The secondary school is in Gitlakdamix
Gitlakdamix, British Columbia
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...
.