Economic Opportunities for First Nations
Terrace’s cultural diversity include’s the area’s First Nations people, who for millenia have called the region home. First Nations are important strategic partners in economic development.
First Nations of the surrounding area include the Tsimshian, Nisga’a, Haisla, Gitxsan and Gitanyow Nations. You can see a number of authentic totem poles in the villages of Kitwanga and Kitwancool. (Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most revered artists, painted some of these totem poles). Kitwanga is also home to the Kitwanga Fort National Historic Site, a fortified, 18th Century Gitwangak First Nation village.
The ‘Ksan Historical Village, a replica First Nations village built on the site of the original Gitxsan village of Gitanmaax, has won the Attractions Canada Award twice. There are also Nisga’a cultural sites to be explored in Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park.
The closest first nations neighbours live to the west in the village of Kitsumkalum. Kitsumkalum (people of the Robin) is one of fourteen Tsimshian Tribes that has occupied traditional territories in northwest British Columbia for thousands of years.
To the east of Terrace lives the Kitselas First Nation, home of the Kitselas Canyon National Historic Site.
To the north lives the Nisga’a Nation, who negotiated the first modern treaty with the British Columbia government in 2000.
To learn more about First Nations of the Northwest, see the Northwest Tribal Treaty Nations Site.