The Haisla Nation

The word Hasila means "Dwellers Downriver." The Haisla people is centered on Kitamaat Villages and home to about 1700 Haisla people. Kitamaat sits at the head of the Douglas Channel in British Columbia. Haisla people balance their way of living elsewhere in the region or in Greater Vancouver. They have two historic bands – the Kitamaat of the Douglas and Devastation channels and the Kitlope of the upper Princess Royal Channel and Gardner Canal. Haisla nation neighbors Heiltsuk and Wuikinuxv bands of the Coast Tsimshian peoples. Living and working on the water has always been important to the Haisla nation.
Haisla people have lived off the land and water resources of the Douglas Channel. The resources such as food, shelter, and livelihood around
The eight clans are Eagle, Beaver, Crow, Killer Whale, Wolf, Frog, Raven, and Salmon, that make the community, each clan with its own chief, resources area, and winter village. Haisla continues to carry their way of living from hunting, berry picking, gathering, and fishing. Every spring, Haisla family groups travel to the Kemano Rivers for oolichan fishing, oolichan is a rich smell of fish smoking. Oolichan is used for everything from food to medicine. Haisla nation learns to boil oolichan to make pure white grease and producing down BC’s Coast. Haisla people still trade with neighboring
Today, the Haisla people seek economic opportunities that respect the waters and wildlife that make the Haisla community. Having a strong economic environment can benefit from cleaning up the streams and reduction of air emissions. Haisla community will not support any use which endangers the integrity and sustainability of our territory. They want to use smart ways to sustain an economic development that brings positive change. Haisla nation believes to become strong, independent Nation that proves their success will benefit their neighbors.

Language Haisla language is spoken by the descendants of Gitamaat and Kitlope bands from the Kitimat area of the northern coast of British Columbia. Haisla is one of the Wakashan tongue, related closely to Kwak’wala (Kwakiutl) and Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) and more distantly to the Nucchahnulth (Nootka), Nitinat and Makah. The Wakashan Language is one of the six language families of the northern Northwest Coast. Haisla names and words are written in a phonetic alphabet developed to allow the sounds of Haisla language to be distinguished.
Kitamaat Villages Haisla people primary residence is at Kitamaat Village, located off the Douglas Channel on British Columbia North