Kispiox, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Gitxsan
Gitxsan are an indigenous people whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English...
(Often known also as Gitksan, due to eastern and western dialects) village of approximately 550 in the Kispiox Valley, at the confluence of the Kispiox and 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...
s 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...
. Located 13 km north of Hazelton
Hazelton, British Columbia
Hazelton is a small town located at the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers in northern British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1866 and has a population of 293...
, the community is situated within the Kispiox Indian Reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
and is managed by the Kispiox Band Council
First Nations in British Columbia
First Nations in British Columbia constitute a large number of First Nations governments and peoples in the province of British Columbia. Many of these Canadian aboriginal peoples are affiliated in tribal councils...
.
Kispiox is perhaps most known to outsiders for its totem poles, some of which were the subject of Emily Carr
Emily Carr
Emily Carr was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. One of the first painters in Canada to adopt a post-impressionist painting style, Carr did not receive widespread recognition for her work until later in her life...
paintings in the early 20th Century.
Additionally, the Kispiox River has, in fact been host to two world-record steelhead catches; a 33 pounder and a 36 pounder. Ideally, Kispiox has remained a favoite tourist attraction for both its historical village, traditional artifacts and its superb fishing.
The original, and traditional name of Kispiox Village is "Anspay'axw", loosely translated from the Gitxsan language, this means "The Hiding Place".
Notable people from Kispiox
- Walter Harris, O.C.Walter Harris (artist)Walter Harris is a Canadian artist and hereditary chief from the Gitxsan First Nation in northwestern British Columbia....
, Artist and Gitxsan Hereditary Chief - Delgamuukw Earl Muldoe, Gitxsan Hereditary Chief