History:
The ancestors of the
present Gitga’at people lived at their
ancestral home Laxgal’tsap (Old Town)
in Kitkiata Inlet, on the northwest side
of the Douglas Channel...
Society: The
Gitga'at are members of the Tsimshian
cultural group which is a matrilineal
society. Clans affiliation, crests, names,
and resource gathering areas are inherited
from the mother's side of the family...
Resource
Use: Each House Group
had specific territories for harvesting
resources. As well, they share communal
gathering places such as salmon rivers at
Lax Galtsap (Old Town) and seaweed sources
near Kiel, the spring camp...
Language:
The Gitga’at originally
spoke Sguuks or Sguumxs (Southern Tsimshian),
but adopted the more widely spoken Sm’algyax
(Coast Tsimshian)...
Governance:
Gitga’at society
is sophisticated and complex, with intricate
rules and norms that guide social relations,
governance and economic activity...
Designed
by
Vinicio Design Studio
