A Day with the Nisga'a


        Ten days north of Berkeley, on the remote Nass River in upper British Columbia, we had a memorable introduction to the Nisga'a Nation by the two Anglican priests who serve them.  Our hospitable guides were Carolyn's former doctoral student the Rev. Paula Sampson and her husband the Rev. Ian Mackenzie, a pioneer champion of First Nation rights.
 

        The Nass River Road featured lakes, snowy mountains, lava flows, rushing streams, many bears, and a spectacular lunch stop at Vetter Falls, where we were entertained by a Dipper and a Harlequin Duck.
 
Another black bear Vetter Falls  Footbridge
to Gitwinksihlkw

 

        At New Aiyansh, the largest of several Nisga'a towns along the Nass, a leading citizen showed us his family's salmon smokehouse and totem-pole shop.
 
Our host Salmon smokehouse Making a totem pole

 

        Major buildings at New Aiyansh express the interplay of cultural traditiions among the Nisga'a.
 
Community Center Anglican Church Lobby of new 
Community Center

 

Northward Ho

        From the Nass we headed north on the Cassiar Highway, a remote, lightly traveled, and splendidly scenic alternative to the Alaska Highway, which it joins in the southern Yukon.

Nine more days (including a day's delay by a forest fire at the Alaska border) brought us to Fairbanks, jumping-off point for the Arctic phase of our adventure.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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