Lax Kw’alaams Band
Tsimshian Peninsula
The Allied Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams are comprised of 9 of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian Nation - Giluts’aaw, Ginandoiks, Ginaxangiik, Gispaxlo’ots, Gitando, Gitlaan, Gits’iis, Gitwilgyoots, and Gitzaxlaal.

The Lax Kw’alaams community is located on the Tsimshian Peninsula near Prince Rupert, BC
Lax Kw’alaams Band
Lax Kw’alaams derives its name from Laxlgu’alaams, which means “island of the wild roses.”
In 1834, the Hudson Bay Company made the site a trading post, originally named Fort Simpson and later changed to Port Simpson.
Lax Kw’alaams was the first Aboriginal community in BC to officially change its anglicised name to its Aboriginal name, from Port Simpson to Lax Kw’alaams.

The traditional economy of the Lax Kw’alaams was based on fishing, hunting and trapping with each of the 9 tribes having their own distinct tribal lands. Each tribe had exclusive use and control of all natural resources within their boundaries. If another Nation wanted to use resources or conduct trade within the area, they had to receive permission from the tribe and often had to pay what amounted to a tax for those privileges.
Marine resources remain at the heart of the Lax Kw’alaams Nation, with Coast Tsimshian Seafood offering full-time employment to over one hundred Lax Kw’alaams members.
The traditional territory of the Nation encompasses part of the Skeena river, which contains important salmon habitat. Protection of marine resources is very important to the Lax Kw’alaams community; the Lax Kw’alaams Fisheries Stewardship Program carries out marine resource monitoring and scientific research that helps to conserve and protect this unique ecosystem.

Lax Kw'alaams Organizations and Resources
Online Resources
- Lax Kw'alaams - Northwest Coast Village Project
Simon Fraser University - The Bill Reid Centre
- Lecture by Dr. George McDonald on the village of Lax Kw’alaams
The Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Art Studies - Simon Fraser University
- Ts'msyen Transforming: Morgan Green
Simon Fraser University - The Bill Reid Gallery for Northwest Coast Art
Related Protected Areas
- Diana Lake Provincial Park
- Ecstall Headwaters Conservancy
- Ecstall Sparkling Conservancy
- Ecstall Spokskuut Conservancy
- Gamble Creek Ecological Reserve
- Gitxaala Nii Luutiksm Kitkatla Conservancy
- Gunboat Harbour Conservancy
- Kennedy Island Conservancy
- Khtada Lake Conservancy
- Khutzeymateen Inlet Conservancy
- Khutzeymateen Inlet West Conservancy
- Khutzeymateen Park (K’tzim-a-deen Grizzly Sanctuary)
- Khyex Conservancy
- Kitson Island Marine Provincial Park
- Klewnuggit Conservancy
- Klewnuggit Inlet Marine Provincial Park
- Ksgaxl/Stephens Islands Conservancy
- Ksi X’anmaas Conservancy
- Kts’mkta’ani / Union Lake Conservancy
- Lax Kwaxl / Dundas-Melville Islands Conservancy
- Lucy Islands Conservancy
- Manzanita Cove Conservancy
- Pa-aat Conservancy
- Prudhomme Lake Provincial Park
- Skeena Bank Conservancy
- Thulme Falls Conservancy
- Wales Harbour Conservancy
- Winter Inlet Conservancy
- Woodworth Lake Conservancy
- Zumtela Bay Conservancy
- Biodiversity, Mining and Tourism Areas