#182 June 2018 Hazleton - Totem Poles and Peeing Trees!

Hazelton area is home to almost 3,500 Gitxsan people who practice their culture and share their history and knowledge.

Good fortune placed the vast territories of the Gitxsan people outside the mainstream of traders, officials and missionaries until well into the 19 century. As a result, they did not lose their knowledge of the ways of their great, great grandparents. Staff speak about their heritage in first person terms because their culture continues to be part of their lives today.

‘Ksan Village welcomes visitors with displays and tours of their longhouses.

The totem poles and buildings are authentic with many original artifacts on display. Photographs are not allowed in the buildings because many of the articles are on loan and used by their owners on ceremonial occasions.  The history and culture of the people is fascinating and well portrayed.

Totem poles tell a story, usually about a family or village. They are read from the bottom to the top. The bottom creature is the most important since it carries the weight of the whole story.

Hagwilget Canyon has had a bridge above the steep canyon walls since 1856. That bridge was made using only knives and axes. It was 150 feet long and swayed 100 feet above the churning waters of the Bulkley River.

The current bridge, built in 1931, is the fourth such structure and is one of the highest suspension bridges in North America. It is 262 feet above the river and spans 460 feet.

A very hard, thick, erosion resistant sandstone layer on both sides of the canyon provides a foundation for the bridge.  

The Seven Sisters Mountain provides a distant backdrop.

The “Hands of History” self-guided driving tour provides insight into many points of interest.

There are several First Nations villages with unique features. Kispiox has many totem poles, some dating from 1866. 

We drove beside the very high Skeena River on a dead end road.

As we prepared to turn around a young man came along on a quad. He asked if we would like to see more of the area, particularly the Peeing Tree??

About 40 years ago a couple of local kids ran a hose from a spring up the hill. They ran it under the road, painstakingly drilled a hole through the back of the cottonwood tree and ran the hose out to the other side. To this day it continues to P- - out fresh spring water! 

Glen, our local guide, then asked if we would like to meet the man who fashioned the water feature? Yes!

Teddy is in his 70s and lives in a 1938 cabin his parents moved to when he was six years old. Teddy did not want his picture taken but was fine with Glenn in front of his home.

Teddy has no electricity or phone but does have “running” water fed by gravity.

Teddy primarily raises his own food including a garden with delicious butter lettuce that he shared with us. He also raises honey bees which Glenn showed us.

The bees are so tame that Teddy could capture an incoming bee and squeeze out some honey onto Ralph’s fingernail. Honestly!