| Feature Type: | Inlet (3) - Elongated body of water extending from a sea or lake. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | East side of Haida Gwaii, between Graham and Moresby Islands, Queen Charlotte Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 53°14'18"N, 132°01'32"W at the approximate centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 103F/1 |
| Related Maps: |
103F/1 103G/4 103G/5 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Decision in the 18th Report. Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa |
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Identified as Skidegate harbour in Sailing Directions, Queen Charlotte Islands - Western Coast of North America, 1853, p.6; remarks by George H. Inskip, Master, RN. (British Library 10496.i.29) Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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The Haidas had the rather confusing practice of referring to a village sometimes by its own proper name, and sometimes by the hereditary name of its principal chief. "Skidegate" comes from "Skit-ei-get", meaning "red paint stone", the hereditary name of the principal chiefs of the village, whose own name was apparently "Hyo-hai-ka". Samuel Patterson records that in July 1805 his ship, the Juno of Bristol, "anchored at Skittagates". Mention of "Skettegats" is made in 1826 by Chief Factor McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Company. Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; 1001 British Columbia Place Names; Discovery Press, Vancouver 1969, 1970, 1973. |