Kwaguʼł facts for kids

A Kwagu'ł woman wearing a special blanket and mask. This photo was taken by Edward S. Curtis around 1883.

The Kwaguʼł are an Indigenous group from British Columbia, Canada. They live on northern Vancouver Island. Their main village is called Tsax̱is, also known as Fort Rupert.

Their traditional language is Kwakʼwala. This language belongs to the Wakashan language family. In their language, Kwaguʼł means Smoke-Around-the-World. This name refers to the smoke that came out of the many large homes in their villages.

The Kwaguʼł are part of the Kwakwakaʼwakw peoples. For a long time, the name "Kwakiutl" was used for all Kwakwakaʼwakw groups. However, it really only refers to the Kwaguʼł people.

Some other groups also use the term "Kwakiutl." For example, the Laich-kwil-tach people, also known as Lekwiltok, moved from near Fort Rupert. They moved to what is now Campbell River and nearby islands in the early 1800s. They call themselves the Southern Kwakiutl.

Important Kwaguʼł People

Many talented people come from the Kwaguʼł nation.

• Mungo Martin was a famous artist. Many of his family members are also well-known artists today.
• Tony Hunt was a chief of the Kwaguʼł. He was also a skilled carver and sculptor.