Laxsgiik facts for kids

The Laxsgiik is a special group, or "clan," of people among the Tsimshian, Gitxsan, and Nisga'a nations. These nations live in British Columbia, Canada, and parts of southeast Alaska. The Laxsgiik are known as the Eagle clan.

The name Laxsgiik comes from the word xsgiik, which means "eagle" in their languages.

The main symbol, or "crest," for the Laxsgiik is the Eagle. They also often use the Beaver and Halibut as symbols.

Families within the Laxsgiik clan usually belong to one of two main branches: the Gwinhuut or the Gitxon.

Gwinhuut: The Eagle Clan's Journey

The Gwinhuut branch of the Laxsgiik clan means "refugees." Their stories say they came from Eagle-clan people of the Tlingit nation, who lived in what is now Alaska.

There are more Gwinhuut families than Gitxon families. They are connected to different Tlingit Eagle groups. All Gitxsan Laxsgiik families are Gwinhuut. Most Tsimshian and Nisga'a Laxsgiik families are also Gwinhuut.

Important Gwinhuut families include:

• The House of Ligeex, from the Gispaxlo'ots tribe in Lax Kw'alaams (also known as Port Simpson).
• The House of Lutguts'amti, from the Gitkxaała tribe in Kitkatla.

Gitxon: The Salmon Eaters

The Gitxon group mostly believes their ancestors came from ancient migrations from Haida Gwaii. This is the homeland of the Haida nation. The name Gitxon is often said to mean "salmon eaters." This is because git means "people of," and x hoon means "to eat salmon."

You can find Gitxon families among the Nisga'a people. They are also among the Tsimshian tribes of Kitselas and Gitga'ata. Some Gitxon families are also part of the Haisla nation at Kitamaat. You can also find them at Skidegate on the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Many Gitxon families are led by chiefs named Gitxon. In Hartley Bay, where the Gitga'ata live, this group is known as the House of Sinaxeet.

Stories of Gitxon Migrations

In 1927, a Nisga'a chief named "Chief Mountain" (Sga'niism Sim'oogit) shared a story. This story, called an adaawak, tells how the Gitxon people arrived on Haida Gwaii. There, the Gitxon Eagles formed one part of a village. Another group, the people of Qoona, formed the other part.

The story tells of Gitxon's niece, Dzilakons. Her engagement to a prince from the other group led to a war. This war caused the Gitxon people to move. They migrated to the Nisga'a homeland on the Nass River. They also moved to the Tsimshian villages of Kitkatla and Kitsumkalum. Some went to the Cape Fox tribe of Tlingits in Alaska.

Other stories about Gitxon migrations tell of different journeys. Some say they moved from the Charlottes to the Nass River and back. Others say they went from Kitsumkalum to the Charlottes and back. Or from Kitselas to Kitamaat to the Charlottes and back again. These stories suggest that the Charlottes and Alaska might both be original homes for this group.

In 1947, Edmund Patalas described the origins of the Gitxon group. He said they moved from the Queen Charlotte Islands to Kitamaat. Then they went to the Gitga'ata people. A part of this group, the House of Sinaxeet, is now seen as "the royal Eagle house of Kitkata."

By the 1920s, the Gitxon people at Kitsumkalum were no longer part of the Kitsumkalum tribe. Some experts think the Kitsumkalum Gitxons might have died out. The Kitselas Gitxons might have added members from the Gispaxlo'ots Laxsgiik to keep their family line going. Today, the Kitselas House of Gitxon and Niisgitloop is closely connected to the Kitsumkalum community.

In 1924, Samuel Wise was the Gitxon chief of the Kitselas tribe. He shared his family's migration story. It tells of the Gitxon people traveling from the Charlottes, to Kitamaat, and then up to Kitselas.

Nisg̱a'a Laxsgiik Families

Here are some Nisga'a family groups that belong to the Laxsgiik clan:

• Lax̱-Ts'imilx Clan
  • House of Hleeḵ - Joseph Gosnell Sr.
  • House of Bayt 'Neeḵhl - Moses McKay

• Lax̱-luuks Clan
  • House of Gwiix Maa'w - John Robinson

• Lax̱-luuks - Sim-Lax̱sgiik Clan
  • House of Minee'eskw - Victor Robinson
    • W̓ii Gilax̱namḵ’ap - Rev. Clyde Gary Davis
    • Saxgum Hii G̱ooḵ - Gary Patsy

• Lax̱-luuks - Gisk'abinaak Clan
  • House of Laa'y - Hubert Haldane

• Lax̱-luuks - Gwinhuut clan
  • House of Gitx̱hoon - Russell Morven (previously Ernie Morven)
  • House of Tx̱aalax̱hatkw - Charles Stewart
  • House of Luuya'as - Alver Tait
  • House of Sg̱a'nisim Sim'oogit - James Robinson
  • House of Gwakaans - Claude N. Barton