Indigenous Prince Rupert: Ts’msyen Territory, Nations and Community
An introduction to Prince Rupert: its history, the Nations whose lands it sits on, and Indigenous community life today, with sources.
About Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert occupies Kaien Island on the ancestral lands of the Ts’msyen, Sm’algya̱x-speaking peoples whose name means people inside the Skeena River and who have lived around the harbour for at least 5,000 years. Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla are nearby communities with deep Ts’msyen roots. The harbour, the deepest ice-free natural harbour in North America, has been a centre of Northwest Coast trade for thousands of years and today supports a major port, with fishing and tourism also important. The Museum of Northern BC, housed in a cedar longhouse, holds thousands of artifacts from Ts’msyen, Haida and other coastal nations, and the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site near Port Edward recalls the canning era. Coast Mountain College has a campus in the city, and ferries connect Prince Rupert to Haida Gwaii, Port Hardy and Alaska.
Prince Rupert history
The Canadian Encyclopedia describes Kaien Island as a meeting place of the Tsimshian and Haida peoples. Tsimshian society was traditionally organized through matrilineal descent. Four phratries, Frog or Raven, Wolf, Eagle and Killer Whale or Fireweed, shaped family and social ties. In 1862 the Anglican missionary William Duncan set up a Christian settlement at Metlakatla, close to today's city. About 350 Tsimshian people moved there from Port Simpson. In 1887 Duncan and about 825 residents left for a new Metlakatla near Ketchikan, Alaska. The modern city was planned in the early 1900s as the western terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. It was named for Prince Rupert, the first governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, and became a city in 1910. The boom its planners expected never fully arrived. The Second World War changed the harbour. Prince Rupert became a shipbuilding centre. American forces used the port to move troops and supplies to Alaska, the Pacific islands and East Asia. Fishing, pulp and coal exports long carried the local economy. The port was designated a national port in 1972.
Treaty and territory
Prince Rupert is on the traditional territory of the Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) people, including the Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations.
Nearby: Port Edward · Lax Kw’alaams · Metlakatla · Gitxaała Nation (Kitkatla) · Terrace
Indigenous Prince Rupert today
Ts'msyen Nations are central to life and business around Prince Rupert. Metlakatla First Nation sits about 5 kilometres north of the city, on a site occupied for thousands of years. Its name means saltwater pass in Sm'algyax, the Coast Tsimshian language. The Nation has a Governing Council, a Treaty Office and a Stewardship Office. Its development corporation runs the Metlakatla Ferry Service and several other companies. Members continue to harvest traditional foods on their land. Lax Kw'alaams takes its name from Laxłgu'alaams, the Place of the Wild Roses. The band offers career and employment programs. It has held holiday dinners for members in Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Prince George, as well as at home. Indigenous Nations also have a direct stake in the port. Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams hold majority ownership of Gat Leedm Logistics, which provides trucking at the port. An Indigenous joint venture that includes Metlakatla, Lax Kw'alaams and Gitxaała led development of the new CANXPORT logistics facility. Census figures show the wider community. The 2021 census counted 200 people with Tsimshian as their mother tongue and 4,800 with Tsimshian ancestry. The Tsimshian First Nations Treaty Society, founded in 2004, represents five bands in treaty talks, including Metlakatla.
Life in Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert had 12,300 residents in 2021. Today its economy leans on trade with Pacific Rim countries, especially China, along with fish processing and cruise tourism. It is also the western end of the Yellowhead Highway. The port promotes the shortest sailing times to Asian hubs such as Busan, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Its terminals include the Fairview Container Terminal, the Prince Rupert Grain Terminal and the Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal. Cruise traffic has grown quickly, with the port reporting a 114 per cent year-over-year rise in passengers. Visitors come for fishing, wildlife viewing and trips into the Great Bear Rainforest. The visitor centre and an adventure hub both sit on Cowbay Road. Culture has its own anchors in town. The Kwinitsa Railway Station Museum tells the rail story, and the Lester Centre of the Arts hosts performances. Tourism Prince Rupert invites guests to take its Travel Pledge and learn about Ts'msyen culture during their stay.
Prince Rupert seasons and weather
Known as the City of Rainbows, Prince Rupert is Canada’s wettest city, with roughly 2,600 to 3,000 mm of precipitation a year, so water-resistant outer layers over a hoodie are the norm.
More on the region: Indigenous British Columbia · all of Canada.
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Prince Rupert questions
Is there anywhere in Prince Rupert to pick up an XUSI order?
No, pickup is offered only in Saskatoon. Orders to Prince Rupert are shipped and leave Saskatoon within 1–3 business days.
Can a Prince Rupert organization order custom-printed apparel?
Yes. Custom orders start at 10 garments with up to 4 colours per design, the largest screen is 23x31 inches, and every order is quoted before printing. They are printed in Saskatoon and shipped to you.
Can a Prince Rupert port or fishing crew order custom printed shirts?
Yes. Our custom screen printing starts at 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. Design help is included. We print in Saskatoon and ship to the North Coast, so allow for travel time on longer routes.
Which XUSI pieces hold up in Prince Rupert's wet weather?
None of our cotton pieces are waterproof, so wear them as layers under a rain shell. A heavyweight tee and one of our hoodies make a warm base for most of the year. The A-frame snapback is handy on drizzly walks around the waterfront.
Last reviewed . Facts on this page come from the sources listed below.
Indigenous clothing from XUSI
Even on the North Coast, Indigenous clothing is within reach: XUSI, an Indigenous-owned brand working out of Saskatoon, ships its tees, hoodies and hats to Prince Rupert.
On the North Coast, rain shapes nearly every outfit, so we build our layers to sit under good rain gear. A heavyweight 100% cotton tee works on a dry summer day on the water, whether you are fishing or watching wildlife. For a cool morning boat trip toward the Great Bear Rainforest, the Black Oni long sleeve adds warmth. A hoodie from our $59.95 to $89.95 range is the everyday layer through Prince Rupert's long wet season, under a waterproof shell. Our A-frame snapback keeps drizzle off your eyes on a walk around Cow Bay. For a Ts'msyen youth group, a port crew or a school team, our custom screen printing starts at 10 garments.
