Nisga'a

noun

A First Nation people inhabiting northwest British Columbia, on the mouth of the Nass river.

Meanings

nounNisga'a pl (plural only)

alternative Nisg̱a'a · alternative Nishga · alternative Niska

  1. pluralplural onlyA First Nation people inhabiting northwest British Columbia, on the mouth of the Nass river.

    Martin said it was a blessing to have this opportunity to share Nisga'a culture with a larger audience.

    2017 February 3, “Nisga'a ring in Lunar New Year with 2 days of celebration”, in CBC News
    2 more examples

    A historic conversation is occurring on a section of "Indian country" in northwestern British Columbia. First nations people of the Nisga'a territory are evaluating legislation that may soon allow individual Nisga'a to own private land they can transfer to whomever they wish, Nisga'a or non-Nisga'a.

    2009 July 7, Joseph Quesnel, “Property rights: the Nisga'a pave the way”, in The Globe and Mail

    So far, two people have obtained fee-simple title to their homes in the Nisga’a village of Laxgalts’ap, formerly known as Greenville, in northwestern British Columbia. A third Nisga’a member, Bert Mercer, said he expects he will receive title later this month for his home in Gitlaxt’aamiks Village, formerly called New Aiyansh.

    2013 November 3, Kim Pemberton, “Nisga’a become first aboriginals able to hold title to their own property”, in Nisga’a become first aboriginals able to hold title to their own property
proper noun

alternative Nisg̱a'a · alternative Nishga · alternative Niska

  1. The language of these people.

Origin

  1. TlingitNaasgha.“people of the Nass river”
  2. EnglishNisga'a

From Tlingit Naasgha. (“people of the Nass river”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Nisga'a. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nisga'a

MLA

“Nisga'a.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nisga'a. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Nisga'a,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nisga'a.

Source: Nisga'a on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.