FDI - Tsimshian

The Tsimshian were a sedentary coastal hunter nation that relied heavily on fishing and were active traders. They occupied the lower course of the Skeena River and the neighboring coast with their most important location being Metlakatla. They suffered from the White influx. The tribe ultimately divided over Anglican religious views.

Aboriginal Locations (Villages)

BC Kilutsai, Kinagingeeg, Kinuhtoiah, Kishpachlaots, Kitklaqhta, Kitlani, Kitsalthlal, Kittizoo, Kitunto, Kitwilgioks, Kitwilksheba, Kitzeesh, Kitzilas, Kitzimgaylum

Present Locations

AK Annette Island Reserve, Metlakatla, Port Chester

BC Hartley Bay, Hartley Bay

Kitasoo First Nation, Klemtu

Kitkatla First Nation, Kitkatla

Kitselas Indian Band, Terrace

Kitsumkalum Band, Terrace

Lax Kw'alaams Indian Band, Prince Rupert

Metlakatla Band, Prince Rupert

Year	*History*
	Formerly lived inland, pushed down to the Pacific in relatively late times, possibly displacing Tlingit
1787	Visited by Charles Duncan and James Colnett
1793	Area charted by Capt. George Vancouver
1831	Fort Simpson established
1835	Fort Essington established
1857	Anglican mission established at Metlakatla by Duncan ended who wrongly claimed to have ended ritual cannibalism
1862	Smallpox epidemic
187X	Minor Skeena gold rush
1876	Cannery established at Skeena
1887	Duncan removed over differences with his superiors, he and many Indians removed to Annette Island
1898	Klondike gold rush

Year	Population	AK	BC	Source
1700	8,500		8,500	NAHDB calculation
1800	8,500		8,500	NAHDB calculation
1835	8,500			Duff estimate
1885	4,500			CDIA
1895	3,550			CDIA
1900	465			Alaska
1900	4,000	500	3,500	NAHDB calculation
1963	6,475			CDIA
1980	9,494			CDIA
2000	8,300	1,300	7,000	NAHDB calculation
2001	7,201		7201	Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
2004	1,370	1,370		Alaska State Demographer

Tsimshian Tribe Sites:

Argument Making in Riverine Tsimshian http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~ebach/papers/argmrk.htm

Coast Tsimshian Language http://www.ydli.org/langs/coastsim.htm

Coast Tsimshian Language http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/stones/groups/tsimi.htm

Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian http://www.aaanativearts.com/article1092.html

Hartley Bay http://www.tricorp.ca/pages/villpgs/hartley.html

Helin, Bill, Artist http://billhelin.com/credits/helinbio.htm

Helin, Leeanne http://www.leannehelin.com/bio.htm

Kitasoo First Nation http://www.kitasoo.org/

Kitkatla http://www.bcfn.org/profile/kitkatla.htm

Kitkatla http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/nwca/nwcam27e.html

Kitkatla Photos http://kitkatlachat.iwarp.com/gallerymenu2.html

Kitselas http://www.kitselas.bc.ca/

Lax Kw'alaams http://citizen.nfb.ca/blogs/macdonald/archives/000327.html

Literature, Myths and Traditions of the Tsimshian http://www.library.utoronto.ca/robarts/microtext/collection/pages/benyonmn.html

Metlakatla http://www.metlakatla.com/index.html

Metlakatla http://www.alaskanow.com/town/metlakatla.htm

Ryan/Kinder http://www.arts.wa.gov/progFA/appren/2002_ryan_kinder.htm

Thunderbird's Proud Heritage http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/Pacific%20Northwest%20Coast.htm

Tsimshian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsimshian

Tsimshian Authors http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/t224

Tsimshian First Nation Treaty http://www.bctreaty.net/nations_3/tsimshian.html

Tsimshian, Gitsan & Niska http://www.angelfire.com/realm/shades/nativeamericans/tsimshian.htm

Tsimshian Language http://www.tsimshianlanguage.org/

Tsimshian Language http://www.native-languages.org/tsimshian.htm

Tsimshian Language http://www.kitsumkalum.bc.ca/language.html

Tsimshian Language http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=tsi

Tsimshian Legends http://billhelin.com/legends/legends.htm

Tsimshian Linguistic Lineage http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=tsi

Tsimshian Nation http://kafka.uvic.ca/~maltwood/nwcp/tsimshia/intro.html

Tsimshian Tribal Council http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/negotiation/first_nations_in_the_process/tsimshian_tribal_council_map.htm

Tsinshian Tribe History http://www.metlakatla.com/tribeHistory.php

*Ethnie:*	TSIMSHIAN (CHIMMEYSAN)
*Language:*	Tsimshian
*Family:*	Tsimshian
*Stock:*	Chinookan
*Phylum:*	Macro-Penutian
*Macro-Culture:*	Northwestern