Metlakatla, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Metlakatla, British Columbia, is a small community that is one of the seven Tsimshian
village communities in British Columbia
, Canada. It is situated at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, British Columbia
. It is the one Tsimshian village in Canada that is not associated with one particular tribe or set of tribes out of the Tsimshian nation's 14 constituent tribes.
The name Metlakatla derives from the Tsimshian Maaxłakxaała, which means "saltwater pass." Traditionally, this site has been the collective winter village of the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River
, which since 1834 have been mostly based at Lax Kw'alaams
, B.C. In 1862, the Anglican lay minister William Duncan
established at Metlakatla a utopian Christian community, made up of about 350 Tsimshians from Lax Kw'alaams (a.k.a. Port Simpson) but with members of other Tsimshian tribes as well. Almost immediately thereafter, a smallpox epidemic tore through Lax Kw'alaams but left Metlakatla relatively unscathed, which Duncan interpreted for his followers as a sign of God's providence. Some of these followers, including Duncan's key convert, Paul Legaic
, the most powerful Tsimshian chief, continued to divide their time between Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla and continued to divide their allegiances between Christianity and the traditional culture.
Other missionaries who served in Metlakatla have included Robert Tomlinson
(briefly), as well as William Henry Collison
, author of the North Coast missionary memoir In the Wake of the War Canoe.
By 1879 the population had grown to about 1,100.
Duncan's own style, in the image of which the new community was shaped, was a dissident, evangelical form of low-church Anglicanism that omitted the sacrament of communion. This, and his independent temperament, led to Duncan's expulsion from the Church of England's Church Missionary Society in 1881 and the creation of his own nondenominational "Independent Native Church." Eventually, in 1887, he took with him 800-some Metlakatla Tsimshians in an epic canoe journey to found the new community of "New" Metlakatla, Alaska
.
After Duncan's departure, the 100 or so remaining residents of "Old Metlakatla," as it was now sometimes known, were left in the hands of William Ridley
, Duncan's nemesis and the Anglican bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Caledonia.
In July 1901 a fire destroyed St. Paul's Church at Metlakatla, demolishing what was said to have been the largest church north of San Francisco and west of Chicago, built by Duncan in 1874. Some sources indicate that the fire was started by a band of Alaska Tsimshians under Duncan's orders, including Peter Simpson
, later the prominent Alaska Native rights activist. This tragic fire led to Ridley's departure for England in 1905.
A second St. Paul's Church was built in 1903 and was burned 11 years later.
Since those days, Metlakatla, B.C., has remained among the smallest of the Tsimshian communities. In 1983 its population was 117, and quite dependent on the nearby city of Prince Rupert. It is still predominantly Anglican
.
Tsimshian
The Tsimshian are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tsimshian translates to Inside the Skeena River. Their communities are in British Columbia and Alaska, around Terrace and Prince Rupert and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island. There are approximately 10,000...
village communities in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada. It is situated at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
. It is the one Tsimshian village in Canada that is not associated with one particular tribe or set of tribes out of the Tsimshian nation's 14 constituent tribes.
The name Metlakatla derives from the Tsimshian Maaxłakxaała, which means "saltwater pass." Traditionally, this site has been the collective winter village of the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River
Skeena River
The Skeena River is the second longest river entirely within British Columbia, Canada . The Skeena is an important transportation artery, particularly for the Tsimshian and the Gitxsan - whose names mean "inside the Skeena River" and "people of the Skeena River" respectively, and also during the...
, which since 1834 have been mostly based at Lax Kw'alaams
Lax Kw'alaams
Lax-Kw'alaams , usually called Port Simpson, is an Indigenous village community in British Columbia, Canada, not far from the city of Prince Rupert. It is the home of the "Nine Tribes" of the lower Skeena River, which are nine of the fourteen tribes of the Tsimshian nation...
, B.C. In 1862, the Anglican lay minister William Duncan
William Duncan (missionary)
William Duncan was an English-born Anglican missionary who founded the Tsimshian communities of Metlakatla, British Columbia, in Canada, and Metlakatla, Alaska, in the United States...
established at Metlakatla a utopian Christian community, made up of about 350 Tsimshians from Lax Kw'alaams (a.k.a. Port Simpson) but with members of other Tsimshian tribes as well. Almost immediately thereafter, a smallpox epidemic tore through Lax Kw'alaams but left Metlakatla relatively unscathed, which Duncan interpreted for his followers as a sign of God's providence. Some of these followers, including Duncan's key convert, Paul Legaic
Ligeex
Ligeex is an hereditary name-title belonging to the Gispaxlo'ots tribe of the Tsimshian First Nation from the village of Lax Kw'alaams , British Columbia, Canada. The name, and the chieftainship it represents, is passed along matrilineally within the royal house called the House of Ligeex...
, the most powerful Tsimshian chief, continued to divide their time between Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla and continued to divide their allegiances between Christianity and the traditional culture.
Other missionaries who served in Metlakatla have included Robert Tomlinson
Robert Tomlinson
Robert Tomlinson was an Irish medical missionary for the Church of England, known for his work with the indigenous peoples of British Columbia....
(briefly), as well as William Henry Collison
William Henry Collison
William Henry Collison , also known as W. H. Collison, was an Anglican missionary among First Nations people in coastal British Columbia, Canada....
, author of the North Coast missionary memoir In the Wake of the War Canoe.
By 1879 the population had grown to about 1,100.
Duncan's own style, in the image of which the new community was shaped, was a dissident, evangelical form of low-church Anglicanism that omitted the sacrament of communion. This, and his independent temperament, led to Duncan's expulsion from the Church of England's Church Missionary Society in 1881 and the creation of his own nondenominational "Independent Native Church." Eventually, in 1887, he took with him 800-some Metlakatla Tsimshians in an epic canoe journey to found the new community of "New" Metlakatla, Alaska
Metlakatla, Alaska
Metlakatla is a census-designated place on Annette Island in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,375.- History :...
.
After Duncan's departure, the 100 or so remaining residents of "Old Metlakatla," as it was now sometimes known, were left in the hands of William Ridley
William Ridley (bishop)
William Ridley was an English missionary for the Church of England in Canada and served as Bishop of Caledonia.-Life:Ridley was from Brixham Devonshire, England, and was the son of a stonemason...
, Duncan's nemesis and the Anglican bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Caledonia.
In July 1901 a fire destroyed St. Paul's Church at Metlakatla, demolishing what was said to have been the largest church north of San Francisco and west of Chicago, built by Duncan in 1874. Some sources indicate that the fire was started by a band of Alaska Tsimshians under Duncan's orders, including Peter Simpson
Peter Simpson (Native rights activist)
Peter Simpson was a Canadian-born Tsimshian activist for Alaska Native rights. He grew up in Metlakatla, Alaska, but his Tsimshian ancestors were from Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla, British Columbia....
, later the prominent Alaska Native rights activist. This tragic fire led to Ridley's departure for England in 1905.
A second St. Paul's Church was built in 1903 and was burned 11 years later.
Since those days, Metlakatla, B.C., has remained among the smallest of the Tsimshian communities. In 1983 its population was 117, and quite dependent on the nearby city of Prince Rupert. It is still predominantly Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
William Duncan's Rules at Metlakatla
- To give up their Ahlied or Indian devilry
- To cease calling in conjurers when sick
- To cease gambling
- To cease giving away their property for display (i.e the potlatchPotlatchA potlatch is a gift-giving festival and primary economic system practiced by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and United States. This includes Heiltsuk Nation, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish cultures...
) - To cease painting their faces
- To cease drinking intoxicating liquor
- To rest on the Sabbath
- To attend religious instruction
- To send their children to school
- To be cleanly
- To be industrious
- To be peaceful
- To be liberal and honest in trade
- To build neat houses
- To pay the village tax
Prominent Metlakatlans
- Benjamin A. Haldane, photographer
- Paul LegaicLigeexLigeex is an hereditary name-title belonging to the Gispaxlo'ots tribe of the Tsimshian First Nation from the village of Lax Kw'alaams , British Columbia, Canada. The name, and the chieftainship it represents, is passed along matrilineally within the royal house called the House of Ligeex...
, hereditary chief - Rev. Edward MarsdenEdward MarsdenThe Rev. Edward Marsden was a Canadian-American missionary and member of the Tsimshian nation who became the first Alaska Native to be ordained in the ministry....
, missionary - Odille MorisonOdille MorisonOdille Morison was a linguist, artifact collector, and community leader from the Tsimshian First Nation of northwestern British Columbia, Canada....
, linguist and artifact collector - Peter SimpsonPeter Simpson (Native rights activist)Peter Simpson was a Canadian-born Tsimshian activist for Alaska Native rights. He grew up in Metlakatla, Alaska, but his Tsimshian ancestors were from Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla, British Columbia....
, Native rights activist