Day 12.......Stewart to Prince Rupert via the Nass Lava fields and Gitlakdamix

It's time to start our way back South again so we climbed out of the bear River Valley leaving Stewart and headed for the restricted road to New Aiyansh. New Aiyansh or Gitlakdamix as it is known by the Nisga'a people is a very tidy town which has become the government center for this tribe. In 2000, after more than a century of negotiations, the Nisga'a signed the first modern-day treaty—the Nisga'a Final Agreement—negotiated with the federal government. Since then, the Nisga'a Lisims government based in New Aiyansh, about 150 kilometres north of Terrace, has overseen four traditional villages whose 2,500 inhabitants occupy the heart of the Nass Valley.

The drive from the Stewart Cassiar highway is very rough with potholes everywhere.

Just beyond Gitlakdamix is the star of the Nass lava beds. About 250 years ago a volcaniv eruption spewed lava into the nass valley that covered an area of about 10kms by 3 kms killing about 2000 of the Nisga'a.

The tribe has a legend about this time:

"The Nisga'a people, like most First Nation cultures, respect the land. From the land came food, tools and supplies. The respect for nature by the Nisga is often a theme in many of their stories told by the elders to the younger generation.

Over 250 years ago thou, the youth of the Nisga'a people did not take nature seriously, nor the warnings put forth by the elders. The youth, at that time, often went out and killed small wild animals leaving their bones to rot. Again, the elders warned them that the "Chief in the Sky" would not look kindly on the youth.

But then, during a strong salmon season when the salmon were migrating up river a child from the Wolf Clan started catching the fish and cutting slits in their backs. This was not done for food but only to insert burning pitch pine so when they put them back into the river they looked like swimming candles. The elders caught word and, again, warnings were given on deaf ears.

One day, during the preparations for the winter ceremonies, a large drum began beating in the distance. This worried the elders. The youth making light of the incident were caught saying, "a ha, the ghosts wake up, they are going to have a feast too." The elders knew the cruelty to the fish brought this on their village.

The drums eventually died down... only to begin again a week later but many times louder. Now together, the elders and youth became worried. Soon later a thunder-like noise erupted, and the mountains burst open and fire roared down the river killing many of the Nisga'a people.

To this day, the Shamans said the spirit world was angered by the torture of the salmon."

Although we were planning on staying over at Gitlakdamix we decided to hoof it on down to Prince Rupert via Terrace and along the Skeena River since there is a ferry leaving Monday and we are ready to spend some Saltspring time again.

Prince Rupert is in a quite beautiful setting. Nestled in amongst wooded islands with tons of lakes and small bays and inlets it has transformed from fishing town to a gateway harbour for grain and coal exports from the interior.

We had supper at Cow Bay which is a very funky part of the harbourfront that has taken the old buildings and renovated them into restaurants and shops. Tomorrow is Sunday and I think we'll take things easy and explore Prince Rupert and maybe take a trip up to Port Edward and the Butze Rapids. Then Monday we catch the ferry to Port Hardy via the Inside Passage........leave at 7.30am and arrive 10.30pm.