Kitselas Social Programs

Kitselas Genealogy Information

The Kitselas Treaty Office has conducted a Genealogical Survey (a research project on Kitselas family histories). Stage 4 of the BC Treaty Process requires that communities develop their own membership policies. As part of self-government, communities take over the enrolment and entitlement functions currently run by DIA. By this issue, Kitselas can put the traditional Tsimshian law (ayaawx) in effect to demonstrate how Kitselas is governed and how community membership is determined. It is also important to assure that no one is excluded from the system and that no one loses status in the transition.

Traditional Tsimshian Law (Ayaawx)

In the traditional system, there were only two ways to become a member of a Tsimshian community: (1) if your mother was a member of that community, or (2) if you were adopted into one of the community's clans at a feast ("Indian adoption"). Adoptions not only replenish clans that are weak or dying out, but also absorb people who are moving in from other communities or other nations (usually by right of marriage). Generally, one's identity in the traditional system was determined matrilineally, through the mother's line; (the DIA system follows patrilineally, through the father's line and last name). If your mother's mother was a Kitselas member, so would you become one (unless there was an adoption), no matter where you reside. This method is still very active in traditional Tsimshian life.

"Indian Adoptions"

Indian adoptions mean that the people currently residing in Kitselas, who belong to other communities or other First Nations' descent, would have the opportunity to become members of Kitselas by being adopted into one of the four clans. Kitselas members that reside in other communities, who might not be on the band list, would have the opportunity to participate in Kitselas's community life. People that have been ceremonially adopted into Kitselas would have their "Indian adoption" recognized legally and would be entitled to Kitselas membership. People who were adopted out of Kitselas would have the opportunity to be adopted back as a Kitselas member.

Feasting in Kitselas

Throughout Tsimshian territory, the feasting system is undergoing a revival. Kitselas is in a position to use the feasting system to ensure that people who are active members of the Kitselas community can have their status as community members recognized in the context of traditional law.

Under the traditional Tsimshian system (ayaawx), all Kitselas members belong to one of the four clans (p'teex) or crest groups: Eagles (Laxsgiik), Killerwhales (Gisbudwada), Ravens (Ganhada), or Wolves (Laxgibuu). Most people in Kitselas know their clan, but some may not know. Not many people might not know what sub-group within the clan they're in; which is consequently, what their lineage or house-group (walp) is or who is their chief (sm'oigyet). Even if people do know this information, it might be difficult to display through a family tree as to how those people became a member of a particular group. Much of this cultural and historical information is lost each time an elder passes on. The Kitselas Treaty Office has conducted a wide-ranging project to combine traditional information and family histories so that people can regain a sense of their clans and their house-groups and help strengthen the traditional feasting system and the traditional, distinctive Tsimshian way of life. (1996)