"Kwak̓wala Speaking People"

Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw

A long time ago when the white people first came to the west coast of Canada, they described the customs of the Kwagu’ł (the people who lived in Fort Rupert). It is through these writings that many closely related yet distinct tribes became known collectively as Kwakiutl or Kwagiulth. The name we call ourselves is Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw, which means “Kwak̓wala-speaking people”. The traditional territories of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw embrace the region from Cape Mudge near Campbell River to the Scott Islands of north Vancouver Island, the adjacent mainland of British Columbia northwards to Smith Sound, and several Villages located on islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland.