Kwagiutl
/ˈkwɑːɡiˌʌtl/noun
An English variant spelling of Kwakiutl, historically used for the Kwagu’ł people and, more broadly and inaccurately, for the Kwakwaka’wakw peoples of coastal British Columbia.
Did you know?“Kwakiutl” is not the people’s collective self-name: Kwakwaka’wakw means “Kwak’wala-speaking peoples,” while Kwagu’ł refers specifically to one community within that larger cultural group.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact era
Kwak’wala
Kwakwaka’wakw
“The collective self-designation meaning “Kwak’wala-speaking peoples.””
Pre-contact era
Kwak’wala
Kwagu’ł
“The name of a specific Kwakwaka’wakw community, traditionally associated with the Fort Rupert area.”
18th–19th Century
English
Kwakiutl
“An English rendering based on Kwagu’ł, increasingly applied by outsiders to a much broader group than the original community.”
19th Century
English
Kwagiutl
“A variant historical spelling of Kwakiutl found in English writing and ethnographic records.”
20th–21st Century
English/Kwak’wala
Kwakwaka’wakw
“The preferred collective name in many contemporary contexts, while Kwagu’ł remains the specific community name and Kwakiutl is often treated as outdated or imprecise.”
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