CANADA HISTORY - Places-Archeological

Ksan Village

The Gitxsan people are located along the banks of the Upper Skenna River inland from the northwest coast of British Columbia. There are six Gitxsan communities in the area and the creation of the Ksan village was intended to be a representation of the traditional way of life of these peoples.

The village reflects the traditional ways with the houses forming a line all of which face the river. As with may of the Northwest native groups, he front of the houses are decorated with native art work and totem poles. Some of the houses which form a part of the community are the smoke house, where the large yearly salmon catch was laid out and smoked in order to preserve the food source for the rest of the year, and the food cache house where the food can be stored.

The Ksan historic village is just a short distance from the Giztsan village of Gitanmaax which has a history that goes back thousands of years. The location is a strategic one which reflects it's ideal location for fishing along the Skenna and as a transportation centre for the area. The historic village was begun in 1960 and has been growing ins size and exhibits since that time with over 600 artefacts in the collection.