Tsimshian Culture

Tsimshian Culture

The Tsimshian are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast located in British Columbia, Canada, and Alaska, United States around Terrace and Prince Rupert and in the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island.

There are approximately 10,000 Tsimshian.

Their culture is matrilineal with a societal structure based on a clan system, properly referred to as a moiety. The Tsimshian people have four clans: Laxsgiik (Eagle Clan), Gispwudwada (Killer Whale Clan), Ganhada (Raven Clan), and Laxgibuu (Wolf Clan). Each clan has a number of matrilineal houses that further divide the phratries.

Early anthropologists and linguists grouped Gitxsan and Nisga'a as Tsimshian because of linguistic affinities. Under this terminology they were referred to as Coast Tsimshian, even though some communities were not coastal. The three groups identify as separate nations.

The Coast Tsimshian  in British Columbia consists of fourteen tribes:

• the Gitdidzu or Kitasoo (who live at Klemtu, B.C.)
• the Gitga'at (Hartley Bay, B.C.)
• the Gitxaala or Kitkatla (Kitkatla, B.C.)
• the Gitsumkalum (Kitsumkalum, B.C.)
• the Gits'ilaasü or Kitselas (Kitselas, B.C.)
• The allied tribes of Lax Kw'alaams (Port Simpson) including Metlakatla
  • Giluts'aaw
  • Ginadoiks
  • Ginaxangiik
  • Gispaxlo'ots
  • Gitando
  • Gitlaan
  • Gits'iis
  • Gitwilgyoots
  • Gitzaxłaał