The Nisga’a Highway

Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed

David discovered an intriguing side trip for us before we hit the Cassair, so we traveled up Highway 113 from Terrace to the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park.  The lightly traveled road wound through beautiful mountains until we arrived at a fascinating valley layered in moss-covered lava rock.  

Nisga'a Visitor Center

We arrived around ten in the morning, stopping at the small visitor center to learn more about the area. Steve, the cultural interpreter, told us that the unique lava beds were from an unknown volcano that suddenly erupted in 1752.  Because the Nisga’a people did not know the volcano existed, many fled to the water and others to the mountains when the rumblings began.  Most of the people along the river were trapped by the molten lava and noxious gases.  At the time, over 30,000 people lived in the area.  At least 2,000 of the Nisga’a people died when the volcano erupted.

With a map of the auto tour in hand, we drove approximately two hours, past the lava flow, several small Nisga’a villages, and on to the Pacific Coast and the small village of Gingolx which sits on the mouth of the Portland Inlet.  

Portland Inlet

Much to our surprise, we discovered an open restaurant with delicious fish and chips.  To add to the ambience, restaurant owners John and Bonnie told us stories about their lives and their people.  Another gentleman soon joined us.  Although he appeared to be close in age to John, John introduced him as his grandfather.  I asked how that happened.  He told me that in their culture it was important that no one be without a grandfather because of their responsibilities to the family.  After John’s real grandfather had passed away, the new gentlemen was appointed as his grandfather.  What a wonderful idea! 

Ginglox Restaurant

Ginglox Church

On our way back to camp at the Lava Bed Campground, we stopped at the Nisga’a museum in the village of Laxgalts’ap.  The architectural structure of the museum is stunning.  The collection of Nisga’a artifacts and history was well worth the stop.

Supernatural beings of the Nisga'a

The campground was quiet that evening.  We were one of only two other campers there for the evening.  The screened tent proved useful once again when the mosquitos began buzzing.

The next morning we hiked a short distance across the lava beds to a site with a tree cast formed when the lava cooled quickly after burning a tree.  Much of the landscape remained barren except for moss, flowers, and ferns.  Trees were just beginning to grow back in the area, although many were stunted in size. So many fissures weaved through the lava rock that each step needed to be well placed.

Lava Bed Flow

After our hike, we traveled on to the Cassiar Highway.  I leave you with the Nisga’a legend of the Lava Flow that was distributed by the museum:

Long ago this land began to shake and rumble.  Nature’s harmony had been upset.

It all started by the river as two children took a humpback salmon from the water and split open the back.  They stuck sticks into its back, lighted them, and then made the humpback swim. The children were amused to see the fish swim upriver with smoke coming from its back.  The children split open another humpback and stuck a piece of shale into its back.  Then they made it swim, but the humpback floated on its side, weighed down by the shale. The children laughed, despite the elder’s warning.  The ground rumbled.

Finally, a scout was sent to investigate the rumbling.  From the top of Genuu Axwt, he saw smoke and flame in the valley.  Immediately he ran to tell the villagers of their firey destiny.  In a panic, the villagers moved to the mountaintop.  Some canoed to the other side of the river and remained there, but they were killed by the lava.

As they watched the lava flow over the village, a super natural being named Gwaxts’agat suddenly emerged south of Gitwinksihikw to block the path of the lava.  Gwaxts’agat was very powerful and also possessed the power of fire.  For days Gwaxts’agat lay with his big nose fighting back the lava.  Finally, the lava cooled and Gwaxts’agat went back into the mountain where it remains to this day.

To the Nisga’a, fish is very important.  To ridicule the fish is the first and foremost taboo and to do so would certainly cause misfortune.  The children’s disrespect of the fish led to the unfortunate death of many Nisga’a.