Heiltsuk << HEHL sihk >> are a First Nations people of the central coast of British Columbia in Canada. First Nations is a designation used in Canada for indigenous (native) peoples. There are about 2,500 members of the Heiltsuk First Nation. About half of Heiltsuk people live in their traditional territory, in the Northwest Coast area. The Heiltsuk people are also known as the Bella Bella. The language of the Heiltsuk is Hailhzaqvla, also known as Heiltsuk, Bella Bella, or Heiltsuk-Oowekyala.
Traditionally, salmon and herring were important foods for the Heiltsuk. They also captured waterfowl and hunted seals and sea lions, and land mammals such as mountain goats and deer. They harvested clams, abalone , and seaweed from the ocean, which they used for trade. They also gathered a wide variety of plant foods.
Cedar was an important resource for the Heiltsuk. It was used to make canoes, totem poles, masks, and tools, as well as housing. The bark was shredded and woven into baskets, mats, and clothing.
Each year, the Heiltsuk traveled in small family groups throughout their territory to harvest resources. They typically spent each winter in the same village, which they shared with other families. Groups of related families each lived in a separate large house constructed with cedar planks.
Family groups formed the main social and political units in traditional Heiltsuk society. Each group had its own chief and belonged to one of the four clans (groups of related families)—Raven, Eagle, Killer Whale, and Wolf. Family group and clan membership determined many rights and responsibilities, including which areas could be used for harvesting resources and which people an individual could marry.
Potlatches , ceremonial events of feasting and gift giving, served many important functions in Heiltsuk society. Marriages, the initiation of new leaders, and other significant events were celebrated with a potlatch, in which the host group shared goods with guests and other ceremonial duties were performed. The Heiltsuk used potlatches to distribute resources, establish public records, and socialize.
Despite forced lifestyle changes and a significant population loss since the 1800s, many elements of Heiltsuk culture have endured. Traditional activities such as harvesting wild foods and potlatching continue. Commercial fishing and forestry are important contemporary economic activities for the Heiltsuk. The Heiltsuk Nation has made various agreements with the Canadian government but has never surrendered Heiltsuk territory nor signed an official treaty.
