Haisla people
| Xa’islak’ala, X̄a’islakʼala, X̌àʼislakʼala, X̣aʼislak’ala, Xai:sla | |
|---|---|
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A Haisla whistle
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| Total population | |
| (1,500 ) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Canada ( British Columbia) |
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| Languages | |
| English, Haisla | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, native | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Heiltsuk, Wuikinuxv, Kwakiutl |
The Haisla (also Xa’islak’ala, X̄a’islakʼala, X̌àʼislakʼala, X̣aʼislak’ala, Xai:sla) are an indigenous people living at Kitamaat in the North Coast region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their indigenous language is named after them in most English usage, though its actual name is X̄a’islak̓ala. The name Haisla is derived from the Haisla word x̣àʼisla or x̣àʼisəla '(those) living at the rivermouth, living downriver'. Along with the neighbouring Wuikinuxv and Heiltsuk people, they were incorrectly known in the past as the Northern Kwakiutl.
Kitimaat Village, the Haisla reserve, is a short 20 minute drive south of the town of Kitimat at the head of the Douglas Channel, a 90-km (56-mi) fjord that serves as saltwater corridor that connects the community and the town and port of Kitimat, which is the site of the aluminum smelter of Alcan Incorporated, to the Pacific Ocean. Kitamaat is a Tsimshian name, applied by European explorers who asked their Tsimshian guides for the name of the place; it means "people of the snows" or "place of the snows". The Haisla name for Kitimaat is C'imo'ca (pronounced tsee-MOTE-sah) which means "snag beach."
The government of the Haisla people is the Haisla Nation. Its offices are located in Kitimaat Village, British Columbia.
Ellis Ross was a prominent elected Chief Councilor of the Haisla Nation, and one of the first First Nation leaders in Canada to team up with big oil companies like "LNG", and he was full-time councillor from 2003-2016. Ellis was followed by Crystal Smith, the current Acting Chief.
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Wikipedia