Neghitl/Smith Inlet
Smith Inlet is the heart of the traditional territory of the Gwa’sala. The Inlet is known as Neghitl. The same name also refers to the Nekite River and the Reserve at the head of the Inlet.
From time immemorial, the Gwa’sala fished several species of salmon in Smith Inlet. However our aboriginal right to fish was curtailed by federal legislation and we were shut out of the burgeoning commercial fishery as five different canneries monopolized our rich fisheries in the Inlet. During this period our men and women found seasonal employment with the canneries as fishermen and packers. Today, guided by the conservation and stewardship laws handed down from our ancestors, we are working to restore our fisheries to their former abundance. Read more...
Fishing in Smith Inlet |
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Photos
Gwa'sala-'Nakaxda'xw Nations
gwanaknations.ca |