Traditional Territory of the Gitselasu

The first Gitselasu were likely attracted to the area because of the strategic location of the canyon and the natural resource wealth of the surrounding area. Kitselas Canyon is the first major upriver constriction of the Skeena River. The canyon is 1.7 kilometres long and is oriented north-south. Note that on the Kitselas Canyon Site Map, upriver is the top end of the photograph and down river is the bottom end of the photograph. The canyon is strategically significant because at one time the water ways were the original travel routes. Living at the canyon allowed the Gitselasu to control river traffic both up as well as down river. All visitors would have to stop and give some of their wealth to the Gitselasu chiefs in order to travel through Gitselasu territory. These travel tolls contributed to the power and wealth of the Gitselasu.

The natural resource wealth of the Kitselas Canyon is the other major factor that explains the power and wealth of the Gitselasu. The area is rich in land as well as marine resources. The river, valley bottoms, subalpine and alpine areas provide both an abundance as well as a diversity of resources. All five salmon species are found in the Kitselas Canyon area and in the surrounding streams of the Skeena River. Various trout species are also found in the rivers and lakes of the area. Over thirty five different species of edible berries have been identified in the Kitselas Canyon region. Over fifteen edible non-berries such as ferns, roots and onions have been identified. The area is also rich in wildlife species such as bear, moose, goat and fur bearers such as fisher and marten. Edible birds include various waterfowl and game birds. Also, the Kitselas Canyon area once had great cedar and hemlock forests. Those woods were used to produce a variety of material goods that contributed to the wealth of the people. Finally, the area has abundant fresh water and trees for firewood, which are important considerations when establishing permanent village sites.

The Gitselasu system of land use includes the concept of the ownership of territory. The land ownership system of the Gitselasu was based on houses, or wilps, using and owning their own family territories. In this system, the territory was owned by the house and its use was managed by the chief, or sim'oogit, on the behalf of his house. In Gitselasu society, house identity was in crests, songs, dances, stories, as well as territory. In fact, the oral history, or the adaawak, was used to confirm a house's ownership to its territory. The succession feast that appoints a new sim'oogit includes the acknowledgment of the passing of territory to the new chief.

Gitselasu territory extends in the Skeena Valley from the Kitselas Canyon westward to the Terrace area and eastward to Lorne Creek, a distance of about fifty-five kilometres. The territory includes the mountains down to the creeks on both sides of the Skeena River. The Indian Reserve system has allocated the Gitselasu nine reserve parcels of land along the Skeena River. The total amount of land allotted was 1,103 hectares. This amount of land is a mere fraction (less than 1%) of Gitselasu traditional territory. The fact that the Gitselasu and most other First Nations of British Columia have never entered into treaties has led to the formation of the B.C. Treaty Process whose mandate is to settle the land question with BC First Nations.