BCGNIS Query Results

Ksga'maalOfficial Name
Pronounced:"ska MAHL"
Feature Type:Creek (1)
Latitude:55°12'50" Position at: MOUTH
Longitude:129°09'00"
Gazetteer Map:103P/3
Relative Location:Flows SE into Nass River, above Gitwinksihlkw, Cassiar Land District
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103P/3 103P/6

Origin Notes and History

Shumal Creek adopted 2 April 1929 on 103 P, as labelled on BC map 3M, 1916; confirmed 4 November 1948 on 103 NE. Form of name changed to Ksga'maal per Nisga'a Treaty, Appendix F-3, effective 11 May 2000.
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Labelled Skomal Creek on Geological Survey sheet 69A, Route map of Part of Nass River, 1912; labelled Shumarl River on BC Reference map 17B (date not cited). Identified as Iskchkamaal by Mr. Butterfield, BCLS, where maal means canoe ("the Indians were supposed to have found red cedar along this creek and make canoes therefrom..."). Identified as Iks-ska-mahl by Rev. Collinson, approximately translated as "Cottonwood Creek", where am-mahl means cottonwood. (both February 1929, file A.1.31). Spelled Sgamaalt in Tribal Boundaries in the Nass Watershed, Gitxsan Treaty Office, 1995. Spelled Ksgamaal by Ayuukhl Nisga'a Department, October 1997.
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Ksga'maal means "the place where the tributary is crossed by canoe." [Ksga is an abbreviation of Ksi Sga, meaning "water of (where) across"; maal/ canoe]. Another resource-rich territory belonging to the Luxluuks/Eagle clan, and who had their fishing station at the mouth of this creek. The Sim'oogit/chief of this clan was the last to be practising the "law of access" to land up until the early 1900s. That is, once their own Wilp/ House had satisfied their own requirements for the winter, the Sim'oogit would announce to the rest of the community that "I am on my land now, and it is okay now to come and get what you need." This was because each territory of a Wilp did not have all of the needed resources. This is the method by which Nisga'a were able to utilize in common other resource-harvesting areas, particularly those is close proximity to their own Wilp territory.
Source: Nisga'a Tribal Council / Ayuukhl Nisga'a Department, Aiyansh BC