Kitselas Canyon, also Kitsalas Canyon is a stretch of the 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...

 in 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...

, between the community of Usk

Usk, British Columbia

Usk is a hamlet in British Columbia, Canada just off Highway 16 north-east of Terrace on the north bank of the Skeena River. Once famous for berry-growing, a flood in the 1930s destroyed most of the community. A few people still live there now. Access is by the Usk Ferry, a reaction ferry, or...

 and the Tsimshian

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...

 community of Kitselas

Kitselas, British Columbia

Kitselas, also Kitsalas, is an unincorporated settlement, otherwise known as Kitselas Indian Reserve No. 1 of the Kitselas subgroup of the Tsimshian people lcoated on the Skeena River in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. Kitselas means "people of the village at the canyon" in the Tsimshian...

. It was a major obstacle to steamboat travel on the Skeena River

Steamboats of the Skeena River

The Skeena River is British Columbia’s fastest flowing waterway, often rising as much as in a day and can fluctuate as much as sixty feet between high and low water. For the steamboat captains, that made it one of the toughest navigable rivers in British Columbia...

.

The canyon is a National Historic Site of Canada.

People of the Canyon

"Kitselas

Kitselas

Kitselas, Kitsalas or Gits'ilaasü are one of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia, in northwestern Canada. The original name Gits'ilaasü means "people of the canyon." The tribe is situated at Kitselas, British Columbia, at the upper end of Kitselas Canyon, which is on the...

" or "Gitselasu" means “People of the Canyon”. The Kitselas have lived and resided in the canyon for the past 5,000 years. Kitselas is only one of fourteen tribes in the Tsimshian

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. Tsimshian means "in the entrance to the Ksian". The traditional language of the Tsimshian people is Sm’algyax. There are four main clans in the Tsimshian Nation, the Ghanada (Raven), Gispwuda (Killer whale/ Sea Bear/ Black Fish), Lax’sgiik (Eagle), and the LaxGibu (Wolf). The Killer Whale and the Eagle and the Raven clans resided in the Canyon.

There are five main village sites in the canyon. The first established village was the village of Tsunyow which means "The Landing place". The second established village was Gitaus which means "people of the sand bar" in the middle of the canyon is Gitlaxdzawk which has two meanings "People of the Fortress" and "People of the place were they steel canoe bottomboards" or " People of the place of Feasts". And the Paul Mason site, sadly there is no recorded history to this site. The Wolves resided in the LaxGyels area (Lakelse Lake) and Klew’nu (Usk).

Houses

The following are houses listed by Wilfred Bennett Sr.

• House of Gagawtsgan- Laxsgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Gitxon- Laxsgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Iyuus- Laxgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Nisgitlope-Laxgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Nis’Hawas- Laxgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Nis’Nagwalk- Laxgiik (Eagle Clan)
• House of Gwam(K’oom)- Ganhada (Raven Clan)
• House of Sats’an- Ganhada (Raven Clan)
• House of Nis’Taxook- Gispwuda (Killerwhale Clan)
• House of Hais- Gispwuda (killerwhale clan)
• House of Lax'tiil- LaxGibu (Wolf Clan)
• House of Stee'How- LaxGibu (Wolf Clan)