Since time immemorial, we,
the Nuxalk, maintain our rights and title to our entire traditional
territory and continue to strive to maintain our traditional systems of
governance. We acknowledge our own system of upholding and looking to
our Hereditary Chiefs for guidance and leadership.
Every family group, which descended to various regions within Nuxalk Ancestral Territory, has a traditional Hereditary Chief. Hereditary Chiefs are bestowed the responsibility of overseeing the continued utilization of Nuxalk Traditional Laws that have been passed down through hundreds of generations.
Families still carry their names and titles inherent within the Nuxalk Culture, and the Hereditary Chiefs are given the responsibility of maintaining the Smayustas, songs and dances, for each family group. The Hereditary Chief, or Staltmc, has the right to transfer names, songs, dances and stories of their Smayusta.
The Hereditary Chiefs must be the caretakers of these gifts until the time they pass this responsibility to the successive Hereditary Chief during a Potlatch. The protection of the Smayustas requires the protection of the land and water throughout the Nuxalk Territory and therefore the Hereditary Chiefs play a major role in ensuring Nuxalk Territory is treated with respect.
OUR HEREDITARY CHIEFS
Please note: This list is incomplete; not all chiefs are listed.
Chief's name: NUXIMLAYC
English name: Lawrence Pootlass
Territory: Nuxalk
Ancestral village(s): Q’umk’uts’
and Sts’kiilh
Rank: Head Chief of the Nuxalk
(Bella Coola Valley)
Crest: Eagle
Descendant of: Chief Alec
Pootlass, Chief Sam Pootlass, Big Chief Adam King
Chief's name:SNUXYALTWA,
YULM
English name: Derrick Snow
Territory: Taliyuumc (South Bentinck)
Ancestral village(s): Nuikw’
Rank: Chief
Crest: Loon, Killer Whale, Thunder
Descendant of: Chief Snuxyaltwa, Louie Snow, carver of the
chiefs.
Chief's
name:QWATSINAS
English
Name: Edward Moody
Territory: Upper
Nuxalk (Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Nutl’lhiixw
Rank: Chief
Crest: Raven
Descendant
of: High Rank Woman Felicity Walkus
*Chief Qwatsinas holds and shares the Walkus family
chieftainship with his cousin Horace Walkus and his half brother Anfinn
Siwallace.
Chief's
Name:TL'ALAMN
English
Name: David "Kwatsi" Clellamin
Territory: Upper
Nuxalk (Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Stuic
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Sun, Wolf
Descendant
of: Head Chief Anuxim Alexander Clellamin
Chief's
Name:LICIMUTUSAYC
English
Name: Taylor King
Territory:
Kwalhnamc (Kwatna)
Ancestral
village(s): Kwatna
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Descendant
of: Chief Silas King
*Stand in: Brother Bradley King
Chief's
Name:LHALYAM, SLICXWLIQW'
English
Name: Charles Nelson
Territory:
Kwalhnamc (Kwatna)
Ancestral
village(s): Kwatna
Rank: High
Chief
Crest:
Raven, Grizzly Bear
Descendant
of: high rank elder Dan Nelson
*Chief Lhalyam has held five potlatches thus making him
a high chief.
Chief's
Name:NANUS
English
Name: Mike Tallio
Territory:
Nusxiq’mc (Green Bay)
Ancestral
village(s): Nusxiq’
Rank: Chief
Crest: Raven
Descendant
of: Chief Charlie Nappie, High Chief Stanly Nappie (Old Man
Nebbie)
*Chief Nanus hold his mothers fathers chieftainship
Chief's
Name:LHULHULHNIMUT
English
Name: Lawrence "Obie" Mack
Territory:
Nuxalk (Upper Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Nusq’lst
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Grizzly Bear
Descendant
of: Chief Willie Mack
Chief's
Name:LHUU7YA
English
Name: Art Hans Jr.
Territory:
Taliyuumc (South Bentinck)
Ancestral
village(s): Talyu
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Grizzly Bear
Descendant
of: Chief Art Hans Sr. Chief Willie Hans, Chief
Tallio-Hans.
Chiefs Name: XIMXIMLAYC
English Name: Robert "Skipper" Saunders
Territory: Sutslhmc (Kimsquit, Dean Channel)
Ancestral village(s): Nutl’l (Dean River)
Rank: Chief
Crest: Eagle
Descendant of: Chief Joe Saunders
Chief's
Name:TALYU-HANS
English
Name: Aaron Hans
Territory:
Taliyuumc (South Bentinck)
Ancestral
village(s): Talyu
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Grizzly Bear
Descendant
of: Chief Willie Hans, Chief Tallio-Hans
Chief's Name: YULATIMUT
English Name: Peter Siwallace
Territory: Sutslhmc (Kimsquit)
Ancestral village(s): Satskw’ (Kimsquit River)
Rank: Chief
Crest: Eagle
Descendant of: Chief Andy Siwallace, High Rank Woman
Margaret Siwallace, Chief King Gorge, Chief Peter Nelson
Chief's
Name:SATS'ALANLH
English
Name: Peter Schooner
Territory:
Nuxalk (Lower Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Tsmuulh
Rank:
Chief
Crest:
Eagle, Blackfish
Descendant
of: Chief Captain Steam Schooner
* Sximana Rhonda Schooner stands in for her father,
Peter Schooner, as chief.
Chief's
Name:NUSYUTAMAYC
English
Name: Billy Andy Sr.
Territory:
Nuxalk (Upper Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Slmt
Rank: Chief
Crest: Sun
Descendant
of: Chief Robert Andy Sr.
*Billy Andy Sr. handed his chieftainchip to his son
Billy Jr. and he now sits as an elder chief.
Chief's
Name:ALAMTSI
English
Name: Billy Andy Jr.
Territory:
Nuxalk (Upper Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Slmt
Rank: Chief
Crest: Sun
Descendant
of: Chief Billy Andy Sr.
Chief's
Name: SIXILAAXAYC
English
Name: Noel Pootlass
Territory:
Nuxalk (Bella Coola Valley)
Ancestral
village(s): Q’umk’uts’ and Sts’kiilh
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Eagle
Descendant
of: Head Chief Laurence Pootlass and Chief Sam Pootlass
Chief's
Name:ASNXIK
English
Name: Archie Pootlass
Territory:
Kwalhnamc (Kwatna)
Ancestral
village(s): Kwatna
Rank: Chief
Crest:
Descendant
of: Chief Alec Pootlass
*Archie Pootlass holds the Nelson Family Chieftainship
on behalf of Samuel Nelson, descendant of Chief George Nelson.
Chief's
Name:ANUSPUXALS
English
Name: Jeff Snow
Territory:
Taliyuumc (South Bentinck)
Ancestral
village(s): Nuikw
Rank: Chief
Crest: Sun,
Raven
Descendant
of: Adopted by Chief Charles Snow, descendant of Chief
Suuncwmay - Dick Snow, Chief Snuxyaltwa - Louie Snow.