Heritage and Archaeology 

The GEM Heritage Program seeks to promote, and protect

the Gitxaała culture and language. The documentation

and protection of cultural sites and activities is a high

priority for the Nation. The development of language

resources is a growing part of the Heritage program’s work.

The program works to support Gitxaała Gugwilyaansk, the

process of inheritance.

GEM Gugwilxyaansk. Nii hałelsa gwa’a d mint łuutmks

na ayaawsga  Gitxaała., ada dp łuutiga txa ‘nii Lax

yipyuups na wil dsaax dzooga ga nigyetgm. Ła dip la hooy

n lip alyaagm ada ła wila dp gisya’ant.

GEM Heritage facilitates the community-based research

required for Gitxaała’s engagement in Environmental

Assessment projects.  In response to proposed

developments in Gitxaała territory, GEM has produced

project-specific Gitxaała Use Studies, documenting the

ways in which Gitxaała citizens use and manage their

resources and territories, and their project concerns.

Gitxaała Nation initiated a collaborative archaeology research project with UBC to explore resource use and settlement patterns. Since 2009 we have documented a series of Gitxaała villages and occupation sites.  Many of these places, while known within Gitxaała, had not been documented in official databases.  As a result of increased large ship traffic and related industrial developments Gitxaała has taken a proactive approach to get out in front of the developments to record and document our own history.

Language and Cultural Programming

GEM Heritage seeks to implement community planning priorities regarding Gitxaała culture and language.

Language Resources. In 2013 the program produced a booklet of children’s stories based on the childhood experiences of Gitxaała Elders in the early to mid-twentieth century.