Our Origin Stories

We have existed in this land since time immemorial, and our legal practices are grounded in the institution of the Potlatch. Our chiefs continue to reaffirm our rightful place by holding Potlatches, most recently in 2019.

Ma’amtagila jurisdiction is based first and foremost in Our Origin Stories.

Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw history

Kwakwaka’wakw history can be divided up into three different eras:

1. Origin Time — the time when the world was created, the waters, the stars, and so on.

2. Myth Time — the time of ancestors, as they interacted with other ancestors and supernatural beings. This includes the Flood Time as well.

3. Common or Post-Contact Era — the period of time after settlers arrived to our territory.

The Kwakwaka’wakw are divided up into many tribes, each of these tribes are separated up into ‘Nał’na̱mima (clans). The Ma’a̱mtagila have 3 remaining ‘Na̱mima:

• The Ha̱mata̱m

• The Gixsa̱m

• The Hayaliki̱wa’yi

The Ma’a̱mtagila name derives from the ancestor ‘Matagila. The name Madiłbe’ means “living on a point.”

We are today and always:
the Ma’amtagila, descendants of ‘matagila.