Apsigiyu facts for kids
Apsigiyu, also known as Apsigayu or Apsagayu, is an important village site for two groups of the Kwakwakaʼwakw people: the Kwikwasut'inuxw and the Mamalilikala. It is located in a beautiful area called Shoal Harbour, on the northwest side of Gilford Island in British Columbia, Canada. The name Apsigiyu means "otherside forehead" in the Kwakʼwala language. People have used this village for a long time to gather clams and salmon, and also for timber harvesting.
About Apsigiyu
Where is Apsigiyu?
Apsigiyu is found in the Queen Charlotte Strait-Johnstone Strait region. This area is part of the Central Coast of British Columbia. It's a place where the land meets the sea. It has been important for many generations. The village is still used today for traditional activities. These include harvesting seafood and timber.
Apsagayu Indian Reserve
The land where Apsigiyu village is located is a special area. It is called an Indian reserve. Its official name is Apsagayu Indian Reserve No. 1A. This reserve is about 2.2 hectares in size. It is managed by the Mamalilikulla-QweʼQwaʼSotʼEm Band. This band also manages two other reserves. These are Compton IR No. 6 and Mahmalillikullah Indian Reserve No. 1. The Mahmalillikullah reserve is where Memkumlis is located. Memkumlis is the main village for the Mamalilikulla people.
A Special History
There is a plan to divide the Mamalilikulla-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em Band into two new bands. If this happens, Apsagayu Indian Reserve No. 1A would become the only reserve for one of the new bands. This would be the Mamalilikulla Band. The other new band would be the Wiamasgum-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em Band.
This idea of dividing the band is linked to a historical event. In 1856, a village called Gwayasdums was destroyed. Most of the people who survived from the Kwicksutaneuk group were taken in by the Mamalilikulla. Later, government actions and documents combined these two groups. They were put together as one band. This was done by officials like Peter O'Reilly. He worked for the government department that handled Indigenous affairs. This department is now called Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
The Mamalilikulla and Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Enox people believe this combination was not right. They want to separate into distinct groups again. The Qwe-Qwa-Sot'Enox are families within the current band. They see themselves as different from the Kwikwasut'inuxw. The Kwikwasut'inuxw are another group of descendants from Gwayasdums survivors. They are now part of the Ḵwiḵwa̱sut'inux̱w Ha̱xwa'mis First Nation.
See Also
