MAPS & PLACE NAMES
MAPS INDEX – TSM̱SYEN LANDS & PLACES
INITIATION PAGE — A growing index of Tsm̱syen lands, villages, rivers, territories, place-names, and map overlays. This page helps readers explore where our stories, laws, and Houses come from.
1. TRIBAL TERRITORIES
Maps and territorial summaries for the Tsm̱syen tribes.
Exterior Tribes
- Gitxaala (Kitkatla)
- Gitga’ata (Hartley Bay)
- Kitasoo / Xai’xais (Klemtu)
- Gitsalasu (Kitselas Canyon People)
- Kitsumkalum
Nine Allied Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams
- Giluts’aaw
- Ginandoiks
- Ginaxangiik
- Gispaxlo’ots
- Gitando
- Gitlaan
- Gits’iis
- Gitwilgyoots
- Gitwilsaba (historically absorbed; not extinct as a people)
> Each tribe will link to a map, its Houses, and its ancestral territories.
2. VILLAGES & SETTLEMENTS
Historical and contemporary village locations.
Skeena River Region
- Gitsalasu (East & West Canyon Villages)
- Gitlaxdzawk (Kitselas)
- Laxgalts’ap (Kitsumkalum)
- Gitxon
- Gitlaxbuun
- K’yoots
Coastal Region
- Metlakatla
- Lach Klan (Kitkatla)
- Txalgiow (Hartley Bay)
- Klemtu
- Pre-1834 Digby & Tugwell sites
- Dundas & Stephens Island villages
> Each village page will include meaning, pronunciation, maps, House ownership, and known adawx.
3. RIVERS, CHANNELS & WATERWAYS
Maps and descriptions of major water systems.
Main Rivers
- Xsan / The Skeena
- K’alii Aksim Lisims / Nass
- Ksyeen / Skeena River
- Khyex River
- Ecstall River
- Zymagotitz River
Channels & Ocean Routes
- Grenville Channel
- Chatham Sound
- Work Channel
- Prince Royal Channel
- Portland Inlet
> River sovereignty and harvesting rights will be added to each page.
4. MOUNTAINS, TRAILS & LAND MARKERS
Important geographic features found in adawx and Ayaawx.
- Gitsalasu Canyon fortifications
- Shames Mountain Pass
- Hazelton migration paths
- Grease trails to Interior Nations
- Ridge camps and lookout points
> These entries connect landscapes with oral histories and defensive structures.
5. HARVESTING AREAS & RESOURCE ZONES
Traditional food systems tied to territory.
- Oolichan rivers
- Berry grounds
- Seaweed beaches
- Shellfish zones
- Salmon weirs (historic)
- Blackfish harvesting sites
- Mountain goat territories
> These maps support food security knowledge for future generations.
6. MAP OVERLAYS & DOWNLOADS
Downloadable Google Earth (.kmz) and GIS data files.
- Territorial Maps (Tribes & Wilp boundaries)
- Gitsalasu Canyon overlay
- Treaty vs True Boundaries comparison
- Oolichan system overlays
- Grease Trail routes
- Seasonal camp overlays
> As files are uploaded, previews and notes will be added here.
7. PLACE-NAMES (SM’ALGYAX ATLAS)
Index of Sm’algyax place-names.
Each entry will eventually include:
- pronunciation
- translation / meaning
- map location
- associated Houses
- related adawx
> Over time, this becomes a full geographic dictionary.
8. SPECIAL MAP PROJECTS
Longer-term visual and educational projects.
- Skeena Canoe Journey (narrated POV)
- Pre-1834 Pre-Relocation Map
- Wilp & Clan Jurisdiction Maps
- Territory vs Treaty Reality Maps
- Fortification & Defense Map Series
> These projects will be added as they are developed.
9. HOW TO ORGANIZE MAP PAGES
Add the following tags at the bottom of any individual map or place-name page:
[[Category:Maps]] [[Category:Place Names]] [[Category:Territories]]
> Do not add these tags on this main index page.