Waglisla Central Coast Regional District, British Columbia

Post Office - A Canada Post designation; the post office name may or may not be the same as the name of the place where it is located. At Bella Bella (community), NE side of Campbell Island, Range 3 Coast Land District

Mapped Location

Waglisla: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Waglisla

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Waglisla

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Waglisla Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Waglisla

References to Waglisla that document the origin of its place name

Waglisla Post Office was opened in 1974, located on the east side of Campbell Island in the community known as New Bella Bella. The dual or combination name "New Bella Bella (community)-(Waglisla PO)" was adopted 26 November 1974 on 103 A/1. Band Manager and RCMP reported in February 1991 that "Waglisla" had become the common name for the community and there is no local use of "New" Bella Bella as labelled on maps [although "old" Bella Bella is the local name for the original community site on the northwest side of Denny Island.] Name changed to Waglisla (community) 22 February 1991 on 103A/1. By letter August 1993 (file M.2.68) Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chairman Edwin Newman expressed concern that the ancient name Bella Bella should not be removed from maps and only the Post Office should be named Waglisla. Bella Bella re-instated as the community name, and Waglisla confirmed as the Post Office name at the same location, 13 March 1995. BOTH names are to be labelled on BC maps.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

Waglisla is a Heiltsuk place name meaning "River on the Beach". (Letter from Canada Post Office, B.C. District, October 31, 1974), files 103A/1 and 103A/2.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

The main Heiltsuk First Nation community on Campbell Island has had several names over the years and has also changed locations slightly, from McLoughlin Bay, where the Hudson Bay Company established a post, Fort McLoughlin, 1833-45, to its present site just to the north, formerly New Bella Bella and since 1974, when the post office was renamed, as Waglisla. (See also Bella Bella, a name that generally embraces settlements on both sides of Lama Passage). According to BC historians Helen and Philip Akrigg, Waglisla is a Heiltsuk name meaning “estuary” or “river delta” refers specifically to a creek mouth just south of the village; it has also been translated as “river on the beach”.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
Scott, Andrew; "The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names"; Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, 2009.  |  Province of British Columbia

 

Central Coast Regional District

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2023-09-26