Wila Jabihl Pts’aan

Txaa niks alugigat ahl West Coast Canada an hooxhl wila loom pts’aan, Nihl Nisga’a hlagats’uudit. Hux dii hooyihl hlagats’uuhl wil liks gigat alugigat ahl ansto’ohl han’ii jok. Sayt k’iihl wila jabit pts’aan Nisga’a. ganhl pts’aanhl alugigadim Kanaak ahl New Caledonia ahl Melanisian ahl t’aat ahl lax liks t’aam Australia.

Kanui Mintara (wil galaahl Naxnok an hit)
Ainu wahl hli alugigadihl Japan jogat ahl gagigaanixhl liks t’aahl wat ahl Hakkaido. Adaawakhl alugigadim Ainu ganhl Naxnok t’ap w’itgwit laxha nit an ginamhl gan sgat as n’idit. Wila yeehl adaawak dit. Sim k’al dilpkw n’idit ahl laxaks. N’ii t’aahl k’ut kunuks ganhl neekhl ii galksa no’ohl neekhl n’eekhl ahl adoks dit. Hugaxat adoks Giskaasim Nisga’a.

Gahlkw pts’aanhl Nisga’a ahl dimt gwingaadihl adaawak ganhl adoks sit’aat ahl sim laoo’y. Txaa niks wiln’aatahl ii dooxhl lap adaawakdit. N’ihl adoks n’ii wanit ahl lax pts’aan dim gan ax t’aakst. Gwin ga’adithl axanbiskk ganhl wilt hoox dit Naxnok. Makskw k’ya hin’niil’ugum Pts’aan Nisga’a n’ihl gwin ga’adit ahl han’ii jok naa n’idit.

Txaa niks wila gahlkwhl pts’aanhl Nisga’a iit alut’aahl aguhl lu da hitgwit. Jida gahlkw hlguwilsihlgum ul, iit gwinga’adihl ts’im anuunt ganhl hlaks. Jada k’ap ligi lik’ax ul ksax kiila’at ganhl hlakst gwin ga’atdit. Jida gahlkw naxnogam ul, lu wanhl ts’aa’ahl gat ahl ts’im ga ts’aa’alt ii lu ga ts’aa’ahl ts’im ga anuunt. Hux dii n’iwila gahlkwhl txaa n’iks wil yeehl yats’kw ganhl tsuuts dim wila alu t’aahl aguhl gan wilt. Hla ga ts’uuhl hli gahlgwihl pts’aan ii ksi y’ax y’akhl dilxt jak’wiskw. N’ihl pts’aan dip gun ganga’askw dit ahl gagidim gat, n’ii maks dip tgun lax andoosim gat.

Totemic Culture

Many of the tribes of Canada’s West Coast are totemic in culture. The Nisga’a is one such tribe. There are also totemic cultures that inhabit faraway lands, which are very similar to the Nisga’a. One example is the Kanak tribe of New Caledonia who live in the Melanisian islands off the North eastern shore of Australia.

Kamui Mintara (playground of the gods)
Ainu are the aboriginal people of Japan who inhabit the northern island of Hakkaido. The story of Japanese people, the Ainu, and of gods who came down and give birth to them. Ainu mythology tells of a culture closely connected to the water. The sculpture of owl and the killer whale (orca) with a hole on the fin symbolize the Nisga’a Giskaast tribe Killer Whale crest.

The totem poles of the Nisga’a Nation are carved to expose the history of every tribal clan, called wiln’aatahl, as well as to tell the story of a chief, called adaawak. The totem outlines stories of memorable adventures and unusual encounters with nature and supernatural beings. The Nisga’a totem poles stand tall to show the world who we are.

Every figure on a Nisga’a totem pole has a different appearance and meaning. For instance, a carving of a bear prince shows the bears paws. A carving of an ordinary bear would not show the palms. A carving of a supernatural bear would show a human face in the bears eyes and human eyes in its palms. There are a lot of different animals and mammals that are carved in the same description to indicate the common, the prince, and the supernatural. Some figures on a totem have their tongue hanging out signifying death. These poles are usually situated as grave markers.

Video Clip | 56k | 256k |
Chief Rod Robinson talks about various cultures