BCGNIS Query Results

GitlaxksiipOfficial Name
Pronounced:"git-LAK SEEP"
Feature Type:Former Indian Village
Latitude:55°18'20" Position at: POPULATION CENTRE
Longitude:129°04'00"
Gazetteer Map:103P/6
Relative Location:E side Nass River, above New Aiyansh, Cassiar Land District
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Origin Notes and History

Identified as Gitlaxksiip (old village site) in Nisga'a Treaty Agreement-in-Principle, February 1996. Identified as Gitlax'aws (fishing station/camp, rather than an old village site) per Ayuukhl Nisga'a Department, October 1997. Adopted as Gitlaxksiip (Former Indian Village), as identified in the 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

This is the beginning of the Grease Trail, and here inland groups camped as they made final preparations to return to their own territory after oolichan fishing season, at sites lower on the Nass River. The camp was known to Europeans as Grease Harbour, although not labelled on modern maps. An historic monument is located here. In addition to a 1 ha. section where the trail crosses Wii Pdalks/Cranberry River, a second section of the historic Grease Trail near the site of Gitlaxksiip/Gitlax'aws will be designated as a Provincial Heritage Site under the terms of the Nisga'a Final Agreement, Appendix F-1, effective 11 May 2000.
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Gitlax'aws (fishing station or camp) is situated beside Ts'im Anwiihlist (fishing site) and means "people of the location where there is sand". [Git/ people of; lax/ on; aws/ sand]. Here is where the Gitxsan were permitted by the Nisga'a to camp as they made final preparations to return to their own territory after oolichan season. This is the reason the Gitxsan referred to this area as Gitlaxksiip (ksiip in their own language means "sand"), and that name became more commonly used for a time. It has also been referred to as Grease Harbour. After contact in the late 1800's, it began to be used as a more permanent establishment for a time by non-Nisga'a.
Source: Nisga'a Tribal Council / Ayuukhl Nisga'a Department, Aiyansh BC

This is the beginning of Genim Sgeenix ("Northward Trail"), called Grease Trail by the Europeans, a major trading route running from Gitlax'aws to Gitwanhlguul/Kitwancool; the trail utilized by the upper Ksan people, or Gitksan/including the Gitwanhlguul, when coming over to K'alii Aksim Lisims to trade for oolichan grease - the prize commodity of the Nisga'a Nation. A landmark for the Nisga'a, as it served as one of the main transportation corridors for our nation - the Nisga'a travelled this trail on the way to the Babines to trade oolichan grease.
Source: Nisga'a Tribal Council / Ayuukhl Nisga'a Department, Aiyansh BC