Gitlakdamix, British Columbia
In front of the Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School stands the Unity Totem Pole which, raised in 1977, was the first totem pole raised in the Nass Valley since the late 19th century.
Name origin
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Gitlax̱t'aamiks means "people of the ponds" in the Nisga'a language. The name New Aiyansh was established in 1974. Though the name Aiyansh was originally at a location 3 miles to the northeast, maps now show both Aiyansh and New Aiyansh at the modern location. The original Aiyansh was partly destroyed by flood in November 1917 and the community moved to Gitlax̱t'aamiks. A later flood in this community led to relocation to the higher site which became New Aiyansh in the late 1960s.
New Aiyansh was formerly New Aiyansh Indian Reserve No. 1, which was extinguished by the Nisga'a Treaty as of May 11, 2000. The location of "old" Aiyansh was formerly Aiyansh Indian Reserve 1, also extinguished by the terms of the Nisga'a Treaty like all other Nisga'a-related Indian Reserves.
Education
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Nisga%27a_Lisims_Government_Building_-_dedication_01.jpg/220px-Nisga%27a_Lisims_Government_Building_-_dedication_01.jpg)
The community is served by School District 92 Nisga'a and is home to Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School. This school provides elementary school education for this village and secondary school education to all four Nisga'a Villages in the Nass Valley. The offices of the School District are located here.
Capital of the Nisga'a Nation
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The legislative functions and administrative offices of the government of the Nisga'a Nation, the Wilp si'Ayuukhl Nisg̱a'a, are located in the Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government Building. This new facility was completed in 2000 and dedicated in September. This was around the time of the signing of the Nisga'a Final Agreement. It houses the Council Chamber, executive offices, meeting rooms, legal services, archives, and various public administrative services. The Council Chamber was designed to support the traditional consensus-style of governing. Members sit around an elliptical table, where each is equal.
References
- ^ "New Aiyansh" Archived 2005-10-30 at archive.today, Northern BC Tourism Association Website
- ^ "Gitlaxt'aamiks". Encyclopedia of British Columbia (2000), Harbour Publishing.
- ^ "BCGNIS entry for "New Aiyansh (locality)"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ "BCGNIS entry "Aiyansh (locality)"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ "BCGNIS entry "Aiyansh (Post Office)"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ "BCGNIS entry "New Aiyansh Indian Reserve 1"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ "BCGNIS entry "Aiyansh Indian Resrve 1"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.