Skeena << skee nah >> is the name for a group of First Nations people from Canada’s northwest coast. First Nations is a designation used in Canada for indigenous (native) peoples. The Skeena homeland is in the north coastal region of British Columbia , including the Skeena River watershed (area of land that drains into the river). Skeena groups whose territory lies near the coast are associated with the Tsimshian First Nations. Those whose territory lies more inland are associated with the Gitxsan (also spelled Gitksan) First Nations. Tsimshian people speak the Tsimshian language, and Gitxsan people speak the related Gitxsan language (also known as Gitsenimx or Gitsanimx).
Skeena people traditionally harvested a wide range of marine and land resources. They fished for salmon and hunted such land animals as elk, moose, and mountain goats. They also gathered a variety of plant foods. Small family groups spent much of the year moving throughout their territory, harvesting resources. They spent each winter in the same village, which they shared with other family groups. Winter villages typically consisted of several large houses constructed with cedar planks. Each house was occupied by a closely related family. These villages were located along the river or coast.
Cedar was an important resource for the Skeena. It was used to make canoes, totem poles, and houses. Cedar bark was shredded and woven into baskets, mats, and clothing.
Groups of related individuals, called wilps or houses, formed the main social and political units in traditional Skeena society. Wilps were matrilineal, with status, rights, and responsibilities mainly determined by relationships traced through women family members. These groups were organized into larger groups of related families known as clans.
The Skeena held elaborate feasts called potlatches to mark marriages, deaths, or other notable occasions. Potlatches were also used to establish social rank and maintain alliances. Hosts achieved these goals by displaying possessions, giving them away, or occasionally destroying them.
Despite forced changes to traditional ways of life and a significant population loss since the 1800’s, many aspects of Skeena culture, such as potlatching, kinship organization, and the teaching of ecological knowledge, have endured. Many Skeena groups are active in commercial fisheries and forestry.
Skeena peoples have made agreements with the Canadian government, but they have never surrendered their territories or officially signed a treaty. One of the most important court cases involving aboriginal rights was Delgamuukw v. British Columbia. In this case, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed in 1997 the lawful recognition of aboriginal title, or the rightful holding of land by aboriginal people. It also decided that during trial hearings, lower courts should give weight to First Nations’ oral histories as evidence of aboriginal title.
