The X̄á’isla Nation has occupied our traditional territory since time immemorial. Today, the X̄á’isla people are centred in Kitamaat Village. Home to approximately 700 of the 2023+ X̄á’isla membership, Kitamaat Village sits at the head of the Douglas Channel in British Columbia. The X̄á’isla members live in places such as Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert, in the metro Vancouver area and the United States.

X̄á’isla Nation Council (HNC) is elected every two years and consists of ten Councilors and one Chief Councilor, elected on a separate ballot. Council is responsible for setting and managing the Nation’s budget and for representing the X̄á’isla people in dealings with Canada.

The X̄á’isla people have given the elected HNC the authority to represent them and to act on their behalf in seeking funding support for Kitamaat Village. HNC administration currently provides municipal services and local delivery of social, educational and developmental programs.

The Haisla social system is based on matrilineal clans. Each clan has a him̓ áas (hey-maus: chief) and músmeziɫ (moos-moo-gheethl: matriarch). The present day clan system is as follows: Beaver, Raven, Eagle, Killer Whale/Black Fish/Salmon. Historically there were the Crow, Frog and Wolf clans but due to declining numbers they amalgamated with other clans.

Living and working on the water has always been important to the X̄á’isla, and that remains so today. We have lived off the land and water resources of the Douglas Channel and our traditional territory since time immemorial, and protection of those resources for future generations is a strong commitment by every X̄á’isla member. Our territory’s resources have sustained us for generations, providing us with food, shelter, and livelihood. We have worked hard to harvest food, build our villages, and develop the resources we need to survive. The land is connected to our past, our culture, and now, our future.

Most X̄á’isla continue to carry on the traditions of hunting, berry picking, gathering and fishing. Every spring, family groups still travel to the Kemano River for oolichan fishing. During oolichan season the village is full of the rich smell of the fish smoking. After a long, hard North Coast winter, oolichan are the first fish returning to spawn in local rivers, and are used for everything from food to medicine. We learned to boil oolichan, becoming experts in producing a quality grease well known up and down BC’s Coast. We still trade this valuable commodity with neighbouring villages.