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.