Chief Shakes

Chief Shakes is a distinguished Tlingit leadership title passed down through generations among groups of native people from Northwestern North America.

The orphan Gush X’een (translation: Dorsal Fin Screen, English: Gushklin) lived at Ch’aal’in. He was a Teikweidí named Joonák’w. The leader of the Naanya.aayí, S.nóok, took a liking to the orphaned boy and raised him as a nephew. Upon the death of S.nóok, he became the leader of the clan.

The Stikine area was being invaded by the Naaskwaan (literally the Nass River People, i.e. the Nisga'a but here including the Tsimshian). The leaders of the invaders were Wiisheyksh (Wii Seeks), Yaxweiyxsh and Xagáksh.

Wiisheiyksh asked for access to the Stikine so that they might fish. Gush X’een refused and Wiisheyksh threatened to take the land by force if they were not allowed access. Upon leaving they took the burial pole of the Naanya.áayi leader, Shaadeistí, who had died not long before.

The Naanya.aayi prepared for war. Their íxt’ (shaman) told them when the Nisga'a were approaching. The Naanya.aayí moved to the mouth of the Stikine. Gush X’een ordered some of his men to stand at the base of the cliffs near the mouth of the river. The rest of the clan and those fighting with them retreated by the islands at the mouth of the river.

More than 100 Northwest Coast canoes full of Nisga'a warriors approached the Naanya.aayí at the mouth of the river. Wiisheyksh, wearing emblems of the killer whale and a headdress with the killer whale emblem disembarked and approached Gush X’een.

He remarked on how foolish Gush X’een was to position himself at a point of no-retreat implying that he was trapped. He told Gush X’een, “Today you will carry my water for me.” indicating that he intended Gush X’een to be his slave. Gush X’een signaled his men and hundreds of canoes came out from the surrounding islands and Gush X’een responded to Wiisheyksh, “Today, it is you who will be carrying my water for me.”

The battle started. The Naanya.áayi killed 150 Nishga. Wiisheyksh knew he could not win that battle and did not want to be the slave of Gush X’een so he gave the killer whale headdress to Gush X’een.

Gush X’een placed the hat on his own head said, “Not only do I take your hat, I take your name as well.” Wiisheyksh became a Tlingit name of the Naanya.aayí and was shortened to Sheiyksh, pronounced Shakes.

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