| Wet'suwet'en
First Nation community is located north of the
Village of Smithers is called Moricetown, BC. The Wet'suwet'en
people (kyah wiget) is one of five native communities living near
or on Hwy 16. The valley around Moricetown
Canyon was once a traditional fishing ground visited
by five clans of the area.
The Laksilyu small-frog clan, Gilseyhu big-frog
clan, Gitdumden bear & wolf clan, Tsayu beaver clan and the
Laksamashu fireweed clan occupied the region. The five clans were
scattered among 13 houses.
Fishing the Bulkley River was a big part of the
Wet'suwet'en First Nation way of living. The clans would first
meet in Telkwa in the
spring, mainly to visit and celebrate their heritage. Then later
the 13 houses would pack up the village and proceed to Moricetown
for their summer fishing season.
Using gaff poles (spruce tree pole with a steel
hook and bound by rope) the First Nation fisherman would wait
patiently perched high above the river standing on exposed river
boulders waiting to strike and hook the fish as they swim by underneath.
Today, the First Nation still fish the river but use deep nets
mostly.
In Moricetown, during the summer, the Wet'suwet'en
First Nation people would erect smokehouses, drying racks and
fish traps. The men would set out to catch fish while the women
would hike up the mountain to collect herbs and medicines. After
returning the women would start to preserve the catch. In the
fall, after catching fish the focus of the hunt would shift to
mountain goats, ptarmigan and caribou.
Once sufficient preparation was completed, the
Wet'suwet'en people would hold various feasts
celebrating the harvest. The general meeting of all the people
was an opportunity for the chiefs to deal with clan business and
for trading goods among houses.
The feasts would last for days and would be celebrated
by many houses. Many feasts later the clans would start to return
to their villages in preparation for winter - each clan's departure
date depending on the length of the journey back to their village.
Once home the clan would work on their longhouses,
stacking firewood, and finishing repairs so to securely store
their food on stilts inside. During the winter the elders and
their wives would prepare for next seasons hunt and children would
learn about hunting while maintaining the longhouses.
Contact information for
the local Smithers, BC accommodations, tours, guides, golf
courses, attractions, eco activities, artists, transportation
companies, realtors, etc. are posted under the links listed
to your right. =) |
How to
get to Moricetown:
Moricetown is located 30 km west of Smithers and 31 km
east of Hazelton, BC on the main highway of the region known as
Highway 16. Follow the signs. Cannot miss the community.
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