Gwaʼsala-ʼNakwaxdaʼxw Nations facts for kids

A 'Nakwaxda'xw neck ring.

The Gwa'Sala-Nakwaxda'xw Nations are a union of two Kwakwaka'wakw peoples in a band government based on northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, whose main reserve community is near the town of Port Hardy in the Queen Charlotte Strait region of the Central Coast region of British Columbia, Canada. The band government is a member of the Kwakiutl District Council and, for treaty negotiation purposes, the Winalagalis Treaty Group which includes three other members of the Kwakiutl District Council (the Quatsino First Nation, the Da'naxda'xw Awaetlatla Nation, and the Tlatlasikwala Nation).

The Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nation was originally two distinct First Nations, the Gwa'sala and the 'Nak'waxda'xw (Nakoaktok). In the mid-1960s the Federal Government relocated the two nations to the current reserve, Tsulquate, and amalgamated them (along with the neighbouring Kwakiutl First Nation) into one group. Eventually the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations and the Kwakiutl First Nation separated into the two groups that are recognized by the federal government to this day. Their current main community is at Tsulquate IR No. 4 near Port Hardy.

First Nations reserves

First Nations reserves under the governance of the Gwa'Sala-'Nakwaxda'xw are:

• Ann Island IR No. 7, on Ann Island in Smith Sound, 10.10 ha. 51°16′00″N 127°48′00″W / 51.26667°N 127.80000°W / 51.26667; -127.80000 (Ann Island IR No. 7)
• Dedagaus IR No. 8, on the north shore of Seymour Inlet, 1/2 mile north of the Nahwokto Rapids, 0.30 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.51667°W / 51.10000; -127.51667 (Dedegaus IR No. 8)
• Halowis IR No. 5, at the mouth of Smokehouse Creek at the head of Long Lake, 3.60 ha. 51°18′00″N 127°03′00″W / 51.30000°N 127.05000°W / 51.30000; -127.05000 (Halowis IR No. 5)
• Kai-too-kwis IR No. 15, at the head of Chief Nollis Bay on Allison Sound, north of Belize Inlet, 20.80 ha. 51°11′00″N 127°05′00″W / 51.18333°N 127.08333°W / 51.18333; -127.08333 (Kai-too-kwis IR No. 15)
• Kequesta IR No. 1, on the north shore of the entrance to Nuget Sound, 70.40 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°28′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.46667°W / 51.10000; -127.46667 (Kequesta IR No. 1)
• Khazisela IR No. 7,on an island in the centre of the Nahkwocto Raids at the north end of Schooner Channel, 0.40 ha. 51°06′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.10000°N 127.51667°W / 51.10000; -127.51667 (Khazisela IR No. 7)
• Ko-kwi-iss IR No. 14, on the east shore of Allison Sound to the north of Belize Inlet, 6.40 ha. 51°09′00″N 127°06′00″W / 51.15000°N 127.10000°W / 51.15000; -127.10000 (Ko-kwi-iss IR No. 14)
• Kuthlo IR No. 18, at the head of Salmon Arm of Seymour Inlet, 3.0 ha. 51°04′00″N 126°39′00″W / 51.06667°N 126.65000°W / 51.06667; -126.65000 (Kuthlo IR No. 18)
• Kwetahkis IR No. 9, on the north shore of Whelakis Lagoon on Seymour Inlet, 4.0 ha. 50°58′00″N 127°13′00″W / 50.96667°N 127.21667°W / 50.96667; -127.21667 (Kwetahkis IR No. 9)
• Mahpahkum IR No. 4, on Deserters Island in the Deserters Group, and including small off-shore islands, 7.80 ha.
• Na-kwockto IR No. 2, on three small islands at the mouth of Nugent Sound, 1/2 mile south of Kequesta IR No. 1, 0.40 ha. 51°05′00″N 127°28′00″W / 51.08333°N 127.46667°W / 51.08333; -127.46667 (Na-kwockto IR No. 2)
• Nathlegalis IR No. 3, comprising Indian Island and five smaller islands in Takush Harbour in Browning Channel, 134.40 ha. 51°17′00″N 127°39′00″W / 51.28333°N 127.65000°W / 51.28333; -127.65000 (Nathlegalis IR No. 3)
• Nekite IR No. 2, at the mouth of the Nekite River at the head of Smith Inlet, 66.80 ha. 51°25′00″N 127°05′00″W / 51.41667°N 127.08333°W / 51.41667; -127.08333 (Nekite IR No. 2)
• Owh-wis-too-a-wan IR No. 10, at Eclipse Narrows at the mouth of Frederick Sound, Seymour Inlet, 5.30 ha. 51°05′00″N 126°46′00″W / 51.08333°N 126.76667°W / 51.08333; -126.76667 (Owh-wis-too-a-wan IR No. 10)
• Pahas IR No. 3, on the north shore of Blunden Harbour, 39.90 ha. 50°54′00″N 127°18′00″W / 50.90000°N 127.30000°W / 50.90000; -127.30000 (Pahas IR No. 3)
• Pel-looth'l Kai IR No. 17, at the east end of Belize Inlet, 1.70 ha. 51°07′00″N 126°55′00″W / 51.11667°N 126.91667°W / 51.11667; -126.91667 (Pel-looth'l Kai IR No. 17)
• Peneece IR No. 11, at the head of Wigwam Bay on the north shore of Seymour Inlet, 3.50 ha. 51°07′00″N 126°42′00″W / 51.11667°N 126.70000°W / 51.11667; -126.70000 (Peneece IR No. 11)
• Saagoombahlah IR No. 6, on the east shore of Schooner Passage east of Braham Island, 1.80 ha. 51°05′00″N 127°31′00″W / 51.08333°N 127.51667°W / 51.08333; -127.51667 (Saagoombahlah IR No. 6)
• Ta-a-ack IR No. 5, on one of the islands in the Sorm Group at the west end of Queen Charlotte Strait, 13.90 ha. 51°02′00″N 127°43′00″W / 51.03333°N 127.71667°W / 51.03333; -127.71667 (Ta-a-ack IR No. 5)
• Toksee IR No. 4, at the junction of Long Lake and Wyclees Lagoon, 5.60 ha. 51°14′00″N 127°20′00″W / 51.23333°N 127.33333°W / 51.23333; -127.33333 (Toksee IR No. 4)
• Tsai-kwi-ee IR No. 13, at Village Bay on the east shore of Mereworth Sound, 4.60 ha. 51°10′00″N 127°25′00″W / 51.16667°N 127.41667°W / 51.16667; -127.41667 (Tsai-kwi-ee IR No. 13)
• Tseetsum-Sawlasilah IR No. 6, on the north shore of Naysash Inlet, Smith Sound, 2.10 ha. 51°20′00″N 127°19′00″W / 51.33333°N 127.31667°W / 51.33333; -127.31667 (Tseetsum-Sawlasilah IR No. 6)
• Tsulquate IR No. 4, on the west shore of Hardy Bay, one mile north of Port Hardy, 59.90 ha. 50°44′00″N 127°30′00″W / 50.73333°N 127.50000°W / 50.73333; -127.50000 (Tsulquate IR No. 4)
• Waump IR No. 16, at the head of Allison Sound, Belize Inlet, 37.60 ha. 51°11′00″N 126°55′00″W / 51.18333°N 126.91667°W / 51.18333; -126.91667 (Waump IR No. 16)
• Wawwat'l IR No 12, on the right bank of the Seymour River, two miles from the head of Seymour Inlet, 66.80 ha. 51°13′00″N 126°40′00″W / 51.21667°N 126.66667°W / 51.21667; -126.66667 (Wawwat'l IR No. 12)
• Wyclese IR No. 1, on the south shore of Smith Sound at the entrance to Wyclees Lagoon, 223 ha. 51°17′00″N 127°21′00″W / 51.28333°N 127.35000°W / 51.28333; -127.35000 (Wyclese IR No. 1)