G̱ilakasdax̱w’la

Who We Are

A̱ka̱la Society is an land and water-based non-profit operated by a group of Musgamakw Dzawada̱’enux̱w people.

What We Do

Our purpose is to create land and water-based educational opportunities for Musgamakw Dzawada̱’enux̱w citizens.

Who We Serve

The Musgamakw Dzawada̱’enux̱w are a longstanding traditional alliance between the four tribes: Ḵwikwa̱sutinux̱-Ha̱x’wamis, Gwawaʼenux̱w, and Dzawada̱’enux̱w

A̱ka̱la means “fish jumping out of water” in Kwak̕wala. Click below for the proper pronunciation.

Testimonials
I would feel really comfortable doing another trip like this. This journey was an amazing way to build confidence and connect with the lands and waters our people come from.
What I found most useful was how open, supportive, and encouraging Julia and Shawn are… I loved the circles they facilitated and all the information they shared with us. It felt like we had some really gooddialogue going on.
So much positive love, encouragement & empowerment in our skills & abilities on the trip.
What surprised me the most was how welcoming the communities were and how short the days felt even though we paddled a ton of nautical miles.
The feeling of connection – with the team, the lands, the waters, just everything. As well as it being a really nourishing challenge for the spirit/body.
The best part of the program was the people, sea creatures, land, stories, hard work, and the collective.
Thank you for the experience of a friggen lifetime! <3
It is empowering to have a better understanding of how to calculate distancesand take bearings on and off the chart. I left it feeling inspired on so many levels.