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Huckleberries

Raspberries

Wild Strawberries

Soap berries

Berries provided nutrients otherwise not readily available in the traditional Gitxsan diet. The Gitxsan harvested and processed soap berries for trade with the coastal groups. They traded soap berries in order to obtain seaweed and shell-fish in return.

The Gitxsan also harvested a wide variety of medicinal plants such as: pine needles, spruce tips, devils club, and juniper.

The most common cooking methods were boiling, earth-oven baking, baking in ashes, roasting, barbecuing, and toasting.

  • Boiling was done by filling bent red cedar boxes with water, then adding heated stones until the water boiled.
  • Earth-Oven Baking - most baking was done in earth ovens. The size of the baking pit or ("oven") depended on the size of the roast. To make an earth-oven, a pit is dug and lined with hot rocks. Then the pit is sprinkled with a layer of thin soil for insulation, then the soil is covered with a layer of green growth. (Such as moss, ferns, skunk cabbage leaves, and hemlock boughs.) The food is then wrapped in birch bark, then more greens and soil are added.
  • Baking in ashes was done by scooping out the coals from the fire and baking where they had been
  • Roasting and barbecuing is a favorite way to cooking small animals such as porcupine, groundhog, grouse, ducks, and geese. Was most commonly done on a turning spit made by suspending the dressed carcass from a wet willow rope attached to stake firmly into the ground.
  • Toasting can be done with a long handled toasting rack. These hand held racks can be made in a matter of minutes.

Most commonly used method was drying. Other methods included earthen cellars,storage houses, wooden food caches, aging, oolichan grease (as a preservative), and birch bark.

Much of the forest floor is covered in moss, which provides a fertile area for mushroom growing. The landscape produced medicinal plants.

In the past, Gitxsan burned areas of the forest to enhance and manage wild berry habitat.

The land was also home to healthy populations of black bears and grizzly bears. Also, small animals such as marten are abundant, and were trapped for their fur.

Facilities on the territory include several saw mills owned by outside interests, and a couple of municipalities (New Hazelton, Hazelton).

Wilp means house group. All Gitxsan belong to a Wilp. The Wilp is a collection of closely related people. A Wilp consists of one to several families. Membership within a Wilp can consist of 20 to more than 250 people. There are more than 50 Wilps, each with their own territory within the Gitxsan nation. In some Wilps the biological relationships between the members is known, where in other Wilps there may be lineages where the relationship is no longer remembered.

The Wilp is a political unit with a considerable degree of independence.Each Wilp controls most of its own affairs. Each Wilp has an oral history (adaawk), which describes important events in its existence. Carvings on totem poles record parts of the adaawk.

Each Wilp owns a set of ranked names with power and authority usually corresponding to the rank of each name. There are gradations in rank. The Wilp chief has the highest authority, and is the spokesperson of all Wilp members. The power within a Wilp is never exclusively held by a chief. A Wilp chief may have several wing chiefs.

The most important aspect of the Wilp is over land. A chief is the nominal head of land, and power/authority is placed on this chief to make decisions on territories. Each Wilphl Gitxsan holds right and title to territory and resources in accordance with Gitxsan law. This is called Lax Yip.

Each Wilphl Gitxsan has its inheritance handed down from generation to generation. Every Wilphl Gitxsan alo has the authority and power (daxgyat) to manifest its essence as it sees fit for the good of the Wilp.

The Wilp

Gitxsan Society

Eagle Clan - Lax Skiik

freespiritgallery.ca

Frog Clan - Lax Seel/ Lax Ganeda

http://www.snipview.com/q/Northwest_Coast_art

Each Wilp belongs to one of four Gitxsan clans.

Gitxsan society has a matrilineal system, in which house members trace their lineage through their mothers side.

http://sweetclipart.com/mother-and-child-2-1303

Fireweed Clan - Gisgaast

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-multi-ethnic-group-people-holding-society-letters-placards-forming-image39551961

Wolf Clan - Lax Gibuu

http://www.yukonmuseums.ca/treasures/km/06.html

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/b2/06/b206988d2a816208f1ef78b5d71dc561.jpg?itok=HklRHsaX

By: Elizabeth Sullivan

The English translation of the word Gitxsan is people of the river of mist. Gitxsan can also be spelled Gitksan, but is most commonly written as Gitxsan.

In Gitxsan society, the Wilp and the clan are the two most important aspects. A Gitxsan person is born into a particular Wilp and clan.

Gitxsan society is organized by kinship lines. Kinship organizes property ownership, economic activity, residence patterns, education, marriage, inheritance, political activity, and most social relationships.

There are approximately 13,00 members of Gitxsan nation worldwide, and about 70% territories. Did you know that 70% of the Gitxsan population is under 30 years old?

The Gitxsan make up 80% of the total population living on the territories. There has been over 10,000 years of occupation by the Gitxsan on their traditional territories.

The Gitxsan traditional territories occupy an area of 33,00 km² in Northwest B.C.

Gitxsan

Geography

The five Gitxsan villages are:

  • Gitwangak
  • Gitsegukla
  • Gitanmaax
  • Glen Vowell
  • Kispiox

The two provincial municipalities are:

  • Hazelton
  • New Hazelton

Babine, Bulkley, Kispiox, and Skeena River are all found in Gitxsan territory. These rivers are all home to abundant salmon and steel head runs.

http://www.granderie.ca/schools/ttsc/departments/geography/Pages/default.aspx#.VlDtF_mrSUk

There are nine watersheds on Gitxsan territory.

http://teamuv.org/tag/power-generation/

Each Wilphl Gitxsan and its citizens are required to behave in accordance with Gitxsan law.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawmill

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjEiI-y25_JAhUBWWMKHeTvAxIQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftaxpolitix.com%2Firs-commissioner-where-we-can-we-follow-the-law%2F&psig=AFQjCNFRJP3VX7aR1z9hFaHjoBNGZTAfsQ&ust=1448133376864247

Gitxsan: Practices, Society, & Geography

Gitxsan law covers citizenship, adoption, marriage, property, use of resources, and conduct at potlatch feasts.

Gitxsan Customs

The forests are composed of spruce, sub alpine fir, hemlock, cedar, and pine.

Mineral deposits of gold, silver, and copper are found in the territory; along with natural gas and oil reserves, especially in the Bower Basin in the Northern Gitxsan territories.

https://openclipart.org/download/136045/CopperGoldSilverGradients-20110505.svg

http://www.vancouvertrails.com/articles/vancouver-trees/

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwiCksvmz6LJAhVK8mMKHeBHCeMQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.nationstates.net%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D240681%26p%3D14406217&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGc&psig=AFQjCNG1eyilz5pct87YVvHnMBRdNaRTlQ&ust=1448233335824561

Funerals, marriages, namings, adoptions, and other ceremonies involving a change in identity are announced.

Gitxsan Beliefs

Language

Gitxsan traditional history and laws are passed on orally.

The official language of the Gitxsan people is " Gitxsanimaax", which is part of the Tsimshian language family. Gitxsanimaax is gradually being replaced by English; though some some community schools teach Gitxsanimaax.

Gitxsan people burned the bodies of the dead. This was a cultural ceremony in which they had shared with their Dakelh neighbors. They believed that burning the body of the dead person sent their spirit back into nature.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-21518574

http://bgr.com/2015/03/22/study-learn-and-speak-second-language/

Gitxsan Rituals

The potlatch is the forum where business, social, and political decisions are legalized in the traditional system.

https://www.pinterest.com/_take_care/mind-body-spirit/

Gitxsan Culture

Next to fish, meat and fowl was their most important source of food. Deer, moose, and mountain goat were often used as a source of food.

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.biggamehunt.net/sites/default/files/bull-elk-sunset.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.biggamehunt.net/blogs/western-hunter/long-term-planning-your-hunting-goals&h=269&w=300&tbnid=nM2M-6BWTcf8pM:&docid=pP7oHkXw4SvpOM&ei=-c5QVujJEI_6jwP6zZqYDg&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwioqqzRqKLJAhUP_WMKHfqmBuMQMwhKKCQwJA

The Gitxsan harvested a wide variety of berries such as:

http://bloomiq.com/red-raspberry-6

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oregonjam.com/images/product-photos/huckleberry.jpg&imgrefurl=http://az14597.vo.msecnd.net/public/MontyFuse4/huckleberry/4e19d162-103a-4080-af6d-05ade4e38b42.htm&h=192&w=300&tbnid=GNM7R_ARTS-fqM:&docid=X1zrwXAI9mAz9M&ei=hM9QVu-XE9jgjwOF246gDg&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwjv6dKTqaLJAhVY8GMKHYWtA-QQMwhJKCMwIw

Bannock

http://nami-nami.blogspot.ca/2007/06/wild-strawberries-2007.html

http://www.foodthinkers.com/break-fast-with-lemony-baked-bannock/

Bannock was originally introduced to the Gitxsan by the Europeans, but is recognized as a First Nations staple food.

http://knowledgebase.lookseek.com/Western-Soapberry-Sapindus-drummondii.html

Gitxsan Food Cooking Methods:

The Gitxsan people traded for all types of shellfish, with the exception of clams.

Gitxsan Food

Common ways to enjoy the fish were:

Fish was the most important source of food.

Preservation and Storage of Food:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwj30abr35_JAhUOz2MKHXUXCaYQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allergysf.com%2Fallergy-education%2Fbig-8-top-food-allergens%2F&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGc&psig=AFQjCNF2TRoUCXvUp568-Ns62xmXf90-VQ&ust=1448134510257339

  • boiled
  • roasted
  • barbecued
  • cooked
  • fish strips
  • smoking the heads
  • dried

All parts of the fish was eaten, except for the bones. When the Gitxsan were done with the fish, they burnt the bones. Fish was often served three times a day.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwiz-of_3Z_JAhUB5mMKHTpuBzoQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fsarathefay%2Ffish%2F&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGc&psig=AFQjCNFYXR7GpzTgFBbWVCpy1HpDoMoJiw&ust=1448134059892459

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwimodzx3p_JAhVD-GMKHcWnCMUQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhighstylewalldecals.com%2Fshop%2Fen%2Fdining-decor%2F97-fish-bones-wall-decals.html&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGc&psig=AFQjCNHP_Y_f5mQiJxO44dUy1T2PwEW6Ag&ust=1448134318334110

Salmon grease was taken from the salmon. Salmon grease was more popular than oolichan grease, because it had no flavour.

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