Stronger Together Pt II Reawakening Gisaxstala

n Part II of Stronger Together: Reclaiming Indigenous Marriage Traditions, we share the ḵutexa, the reciprocal ceremony that followed our marriage in Haida Gwaii two years earlier. Erin’s Haida family travelled to K’ómoks carrying the repayment of the original brideprice within a metaphorical catamaran overflowing with wealth: bentwood boxes, copper, blankets, food, ceremonial treasures and other property. At the centre of the ceremony were gisaxstala, traditional boards once used in great numbers during Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw marriage ceremonies. Historical photographs show dozens, sometimes hundreds, of these boards gathered in places like Alert Bay and Fort Rupert in the early 1900s. These scenes disappeared during the potlatch ban and, as far as our research has found, had not been seen again in this form until 2024. For this ḵutexa, newly made gisaxstala stood alongside two historic examples temporarily returned from the Museum of Anthropology and the Royal BC Museum to active ceremonial use. The ceremony culminated in the symbolic “sinking” of the catamaran, followed by the transfer of copper, ceremonial privileges, treasures and other wealth from Erin’s family to Andy’s. With that transfer, the obligations created through the original marriage ceremony were fulfilled. We are sharing this not simply to document our own marriage, but to help make this knowledge visible again. Our hope is that other Indigenous families who are searching for these traditions can see what was done, continue their own research, and bring their own marriage traditions forward in ways that are appropriate to their families and Nations. Watch Part I: Ḵadzitła – The Marriage Ceremony    • Indigenous Marriage Traditions Pt 1