Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations

Smith Inlet, Seymour Inlet and Blunden Harbour

Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw territory. Photo by Katherine Gordon
Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw territory. Photo by Katherine Gordon
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The main community of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations is located close to Port Hardy. Their territory encompasses Smith Inlet, Seymour Inlet and Blunden Harbour, on BC’s South Central Coast.

Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations

Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations are an amalgamation of two tribes, including the Gwa’sala people who lived around Smith Inlet and the surrounding islands, and the ‘Nakwaxda’xw people who inhabited Seymour Inlet and its surrounding islands.

Today the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations’ main community is located near Port Hardy on the north east coast of Vancouver Island.

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Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Seymour Inlet. Photo by Gerry Miller
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Seymour Inlet. Photo by Gerry Miller

The Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations belong to the Wakashan language group and are considered a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw group of nations.

The Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations are committed to preserving their distinct culture, language, and traditions. The vision for their community encompasses the importance of culture, the value of community well-being, and the importance of caring for the natural environment.

Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations’ vision:

Exist forever as the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw people, building on the legacy left to us by our ancestors and moving towards a bright future.

 

Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Projects

In partnership with Coast Funds, Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations has invested in:

First Nation Applicant Project Description Links Type Year Funding
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2024/25 Operations To support the Guardian program, including managing and monitoring lands and marine resource activities in the territories, planning and referrals, and a wide variety of research projects aimed at protecting valuable fish, wildlife, and habitat resources for future generations. Conservation Fund 2024 $ 175,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2023/24 Operations To support all aspects of the Lands and Resources Office, which includes coordinating, managing, and monitoring lands and resource activities in the territories, Guardian programming, land use planning, referrals assessment and evaluation, and a wide variety of research projects aimed at protecting valuable fish, wildlife, habitat, and cultural resources for future generations. Conservation Fund 2023 $ 125,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2022/23 Operations To support all aspects of the Stewardship Program, which includes onsite inspections of commercial and recreational activities within Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw’s traditional territory; building baseline ecological data on priority species and their habitat including herring, abalone, clam, crab, and groundfish; assessing salmon returns and habitat health; monitoring aquaculture farms in the territory; and furthering collaborative territorial management and compliance enforcement. Conservation Fund 2022 $ 125,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2021/22 Operations To support all aspects of the Stewardship Program and resources management programs which including monitoring commercial and recreational activities within Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw’s traditional territory; building baseline ecological data on priority species and their habitat including salmon, herring, shellfish, and groundfish; undertaking a Dungeness crab population assessment; monitoring forestry sites and adjacent streams to understand the impact of logging on the ecosystem; undertaking stream restoration activities to protect and improve salmon habitat; monitoring aquaculture farms in the territory; and undertaking a traditional knowledge and use study. Conservation Fund 2021 $ 125,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2020/21 Operations To support all aspects of the Stewardship Program and resources management programs including territorial monitoring; data collection on priority species and their habitat (salmon, herring, clam, abalone, geoduck, crab, rockfish, ling cod, halibut); habitat monitoring and restoration in forestry areas; continuation of the Nekite Estuary West Biodiversity Area grizzly bear project; Guardian Watchman cabin upkeep; and compliance enforcement. Conservation Fund 2020 $ 250,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2017 Operations To support all aspects of the Guardian Watchman Program and resource management programs including juvenile sockeye salmon research in the Docee River and Long Lake, abalone abundance surveys in Smith Inlet, grizzly bear research in the Nekite watershed and Seymour Inlet, and steelhead and chum salmon monitoring in the Nekite watershed Conservation Fund 2017 $ 334,756
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2015 Operations To support operations with a change in emphasis from developing the Nation's regional monitoring strategy to implementation of marine and conservancy management plans, to continue the junior guardian program, and to partner with universities on stewardship training and a bear identification pilot program Conservation Fund 2015 $ 250,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Hotel Acquisition and Redevelopment in Port Hardy To purchase and redevelop an existing business in Port Hardy into a four star tourism-oriented hotel and conference centre Economic Development Fund 2015 $ 866,192
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation k̓awat̕si Economic Development Corp. – 2014/15 Operations To continue the start-up of operations for k̓awat̕si Economic Development Corporation through 2014/15 Economic Development Fund 2014 $ 193,250
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Commercial Cold Storage Warehouse Start-up To invest in the start-up of a new cold storage warehouse facility in Port Hardy in partnership with a commercial seafood processor Economic Development Fund 2014 $ 300,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Start-up of k̓awat̕si Economic Development Corporation To commence operations of the Nations' new development corporation, staff the organization, and develop operating business plans for the corporation and its subsidiaries Economic Development Fund 2014 $ 218,750
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2014 Operations To support operations of the field program, continue the junior guardian program, create an adaptive approach to managing conservancies and protected areas, and partner with universities on stewardship training and a bear identification pilot program Conservation Fund 2014 $ 250,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2013 Operations To support operations of the program including regional monitoring, staff training in partnership with Vancouver Island University and the Coastal Stewardship Network, and construction of watchmen stations in Smith and Seymour Inlets Conservation Fund 2013 $ 225,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Small Vessel Operator Proficiency Training Course To design and deliver a competency-based Small Vessel Operator Proficiency Training Course to ensure that Guardian Watchman staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to safely perform stewardship activities Conservation Fund 2012 $ 70,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2012 Operations To support operations of the program including expanding from four to five Guardian Watchmen, creating an additional Junior Guardian position for youth, and integrating the program with the Nations' Natural Resources Office Conservation Fund 2012 $ 120,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2011 Operations To initiate and operate a new stewardship program in Smith and Seymour Inlets including the launch of a Junior Guardians program that engages the Nations' youth Conservation Fund 2011 $ 125,553
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Stewardship Program – 2010 Pilot-Stage To pilot a three-month stewardship program in order to develop practical experience to launch the Nations' long-term Stewardship Program Conservation Fund 2010 $ 114,000
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Community Strategic Planning and Development Corporation Setup To engage the community in the creation of a five year strategic plan for the Nations' economic development and to establish a development corporation Economic Development Fund 2010 $ 328,815
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation Establish a Conservancy Stewardship Program To develop a new stewardship program in the conservancies and biodiversity areas located in the Nations’ homelands in Smith and Seymour Inlets Conservation Fund 2009 $ 60,000
Total Projects 19 Total Invested $ 4,256,316

Total Projects: 19

Total Invested: $ 4,256,316