Nisga'a People - History

History

The Tseax Cone situated in a valley above and east of the Tseax River was the source for an eruption during the 18th century that killed approximately 2,000 Nisga’a people from poisonous volcanic gases.

The Royal Chilkat Robe Originated with the Nisga'a People, called Gwiis Halayt this is the Chieftain's Blanket, worn mainly by head Chiefs, the story of the Chilkat: When the Wife of a Nisga'a Chief who came from Tlingit Came to live amounst the Nisga'a She Learned the art of weaving the Chilkat from her new family, she wove a very nice Chilkat dance apron, when she died the Nisga'a Sent the weaving back to her Tlingit Family, who in turn wanted to learn this art of the Chilkat weaving, they unwove the apron to learn how it was woven, with the great smallpox epidemic most of the Nisga'a Chilkat Weavers died, so the art of weaving the chilkat was almost lost to Nisga'a, the Chilkat then became known to originate from Tlingit. We now have a handful of Nisga'a that now know how to weave the Chilkat patterns and Raven's Tail Patterns, one day the Nisga'a Chieftain's will be wear the real Chilkat Robe to show their true Authority. This is the True Story of The Chilkat Chieftain's Robe Called Gwiis Halayt