Kitamaat Village

The home community of the Haisla people is Kitamaat Village, located at the head of the Douglas Channel on British Columbia’s North Coast. Kitamaat Village is home to 700 of the 2023+ Haisla members, and is located 10 kilometres from Kitimat and 45 kilometres from the Terrace Airport.

The word “Kitamaat” comes from the Tsimshian people, who originate from the Prince Rupert and Metlakatla areas. While “Kitamaat” means ‘people of the snow’ in Tsimshian, the Haisla name for Kitamaat Village is “Tsee-Motsa”, meaning Snag Beach.

Our people have traditionally occupied and used just over 4 million acres of land and waterways. Starting in 1890, the Canadian Federal Government set aside 1640 acres for the Haisla as reserve land. Our territory is one of the wettest regions in B.C., making for forests thick with Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Red Cedar trees which tower over salmon berry, dogwood, and willows. Bears, wolves, deer, foxes, and wolverines are just some of the mammals that live in these forests and feed on our area’s rich biodiversity.

Our territory’s resources have sustained us for generations, providing us with food, shelter, and livelihood. We have worked hard to harvest food, build our villages, and develop the resources we need to survive. The land is connected to our past, our culture, and now, our future.

Today, we seek economic opportunities that respect the waters and wildlife that make our home such a special place.

Step into the heart of the Haisla Nation and embrace the rich tapestry of our culture and heritage at Kitamaat Village. Nestled on the rugged coast of British Columbia, Canada, our community invites you to experience the unique beauty and warmth of our ancestral land.