Gitksan

/ˈɡɪtkˌsæn/ noun

Definition

A member of the Gitxaala or Gitksan First Nation of the Pacific Northwest, or the language spoken by this Indigenous people of British Columbia, Canada.

Etymology

From the Gitksan language and ethnonym for the people inhabiting the Skeena River region. The term comes from the Gitksan language itself, with 'git' relating to place and 'ksan' relating to the people.

Kelly Says

The Gitksan people have an incredibly sophisticated system of hereditary crests and territories—their social organization actually influenced European anthropologists' understanding of Indigenous societies!

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