74 
(17) Poles of Wutarhayaets and Yarhyaq, at Gitwinlkul 
OWNERS 
The family of Wutarhaysets and Yarhyaq, as at present constituted, 
consists of two or three independent families which amalgamated some 
time in the recent past, on account of falling numbers. Yarhyaq had 
previously become connected with Hlengwah, of the Larhsail phratry, of 
Kitwanga. The earliest remembered home of Yarhyaq was Antkee’is, 
on the Skeena, near Kitwanga. The Antkee’is tribe later moved away 
from the river to the Fortress (Ta’awdzep ), and finally became the nucleus 
of the Kitwanga tribe. It is claimed that when Hlengwah (the present 
head-chief of the Larhsail phratry at Kitwanga) came up the river from 
Kitsalas, he was received and quasi-adopted in Yarhyaq’s family. Yarh- 
yaq became connected with the Tongue-licked clan (Nceqt), as Hlengwah 
also did, through their adoption of Arhkawt, a member of that clan. For 
that reason he still claims Rarhs-rabarhs of Gitsegyukla — of the Tongue- 
licked clan — as his relative, although their crests differ. 
It seems, from various statements, that Yarhyaq represents an old 
local family of the Skeena, the remote origin of which is beyond recollec- 
tion; and that it became largely submerged in new, intrusive elements 
migrating at various times into the valley of the Skeena — in particular, 
Hlengwah, from the lower Skeena, and Arhkawt, from the Nass. Besides, 
the family of Yarhyaq at a fairly recent date has undergone further changes. 
After Wutarhayaets and his family, of Gitwinlkul, had become practically 
extinct, Yarhyaq and Tawrhens were invited by Ramlarhyselk — the head- 
chief of the Larhsail families of Gitwinlkul — to join the Gitwinlkul tribe 
and stand in their place. ^ Thus Yarhyaq became Wutarhayaets’ successor, 
inheriting his rank, his hunting grounds — at least in part — his crests, his 
poles, and his traditional privileges. 
Wutarhayaets seems to have been from a different stock; and it is 
claimed^ that he came originally from Temlaham, and was associated with 
Lutkudzeeus and Gitemraldo, of Gitenmaks (the present Hazelton), and 
other members of the Wild-rice clan, of the headwaters of the Skeena — 
in particular Maluleq and Weemenawzek, of Kisgagas. 
Wutarhayaets (or Yarhyaq) owns three totem-poles at Gitwinlkul, 
they stand between those of Kweenu and Ramlarhyaelk, towards the 
northern end of the row. 
DESCRIPTION 
The first of these (Plate XII, figure 3) is known under the name of 
Real-kingfisher ( Semgycek ) or Sleeping-place-of-the-Raven ( H aneelahl-qaq ). 
Its figures are: the Real-kingfisher (Semgy(Ek)f Skulls-of-people (Hrpu- 
gwelawn* or Hlegwulawn, or Wilwilgyet), usually represented as three 
heads or faces in a row — ^here only two; a human being, sitting down, 
■According to Albert Williams (Wutarhaysts), Yarhyaq and his family had paid the funeral expense of Ram- 
larhyslk and for that reaaon received a compensation. This happened not very long ago; Albert Williams, a man 
of about fifty years of age, saw the house-poles standing that had been put up at that time. 
•According to Albert Williams — Wutarhayffits. 
•Mrs. John Larahnita believed that it was the Horse-fly (Wulotq), a crest. But her opini<Hi here finds no oorro* 
boration. 
•Hrpugwelawn, Three-in-a-row. 
