Jane Constance Cook facts for kids

Jane Constance Cook (Ga’axstal’as) (1870–1951) was an important First Nations leader and activist. She belonged to the Kwakwakaʼwakw people, who live in what is now British Columbia, Canada. She worked hard to protect the rights and culture of her people.

Jane Constance Cook's Life Story

Early Life and Family

Ga’axstal’as was born in 1870 in Port Blakely, Washington, near Puget Sound. Her mother, Gwayulalas, was a noblewoman from the Kwakwakaʼwakw people in Tsaxis (Fort Rupert, British Columbia). Her father, William Gilbert, was a European fur trader.

After her mother passed away, Ga’axstal’as moved back to the central coast villages. She was educated by a missionary couple in 'Yalis (Alert Bay, British Columbia).

In 1888, Ga’axstal’as married Nage, Stephen Cook. His mother was from the Mowachaht and 'Namgis nations, and his father was an English ship builder. Jane and Stephen had 16 children! They also ran a general store and a business that salted salmon. Later, their family started their own commercial fishing fleet.

Standing Up for Her People

Like many First Nations women of her time, Ga’axstal’as was a midwife, helping mothers give birth. She also comforted people who were dying.

Ga’axstal’as spoke both Kwak'wala and English very well. This skill made her an official translator in courts and at meetings with colonial officials. She wrote many letters and petitions to government departments, like the Department of Indian Affairs, about unfair situations she saw.

She was a strong activist for Indigenous rights. She spoke to the McKenna–McBride Royal Commission, standing with chiefs to claim their land rights. These were lands in colonial British Columbia that had not been given up by their people.

Ga’axstal’as was the only woman on the executive committee of the Allied Tribes of British Columbia. Here, she spoke out against unfair medical treatment for Indigenous people. She pushed for better healthcare, especially for those with serious illnesses like tuberculosis (TB). She also fought for her people's right to fish for both food and business.

Bridging Two Worlds

Ga’axstal’as lived during a time of big changes. She balanced her traditional ways with the new ways brought by colonial power. She came from a high-ranking Kwakwakaʼwakw family. She was also a strong Christian and a leader in the Anglican Women Association in 'Yalis.

She fought for Indigenous rights but also had concerns about some traditional practices. She especially worried about how these practices affected women and girls in her family. Her life shows how colonialism changed many cultural systems.

Many people in her community died from epidemics. Colonial churches encouraged people, especially women and girls, to become Christian. New money-based economies replaced traditional ways as First Nations people lost access to their lands. Even though many things were changing, important cultural traditions continued. For the Kwakwakaʼwakw people, the potlatch was a central part of their governance. A potlatch is a special ceremony where marriages happen, and gifts are exchanged. This helps people gain social status and other important things.

Views on the Potlatch

Some writings say that Ga’axstal’as supported the potlatch ban (1884-1951). She did have concerns about how some potlatch practices were changing. This was because people were caught between traditional marriage customs and new colonial marriage laws. They were also caught between traditional forms of wealth and the new money economy. Her goal was to change some potlatch practices of her time.

However, Ga’axstal’as's views changed as she saw people being punished for holding potlatches under colonial law. Later, she worked with chiefs who held potlatches. She helped write a petition against the potlatch ban. She also spoke up for a chief whose potlatch goods were taken by the government.

She lived in a time of fast changes and social unrest. As a high-ranking Kwakwakaʼwakw woman who could read, write, and speak two languages, Ga’axstal’as had a powerful voice. She used her strong will to act and be heard.

A Book About Her Life

In 2012, the University of British Columbia Press published a book called Standing Up with G̲a'ax̱sta'las. This book was written by L. Robertson with the Gixsam clan. It tells the story of Ga’axstal’as's life and how she influenced future generations. The book was recognized with several awards, including being shortlisted for the François-Xavier Garneau Medal. It also won the Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin Prize and the Aboriginal History Book Prize.