Gitxsan hereditary chief Delgamuukw (George Muldoe) has died.
The name Delgamuukw is a very important one, historically. Muldoe inherited the name from his brother Earl Muldon, who held the name during the historic Gitxsan and Witsuwit'in court case that saw the two Nations fight for their rights all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.
In a historic and precedent-setting decision, the court ruled the Nations have rights and title over their traditional lands and that oral histories are admissible as evidence thereof.
Earl Muldon died in 2022 and the name Delgamuukw passed on to his younger brother, who served his community well, according to social media posts remembering George Muldoe fondly. He died May 8, 2025.
"The Gitxsan Nation has lost a great chief and leader," Delgamuukw's great-niece Michelle Stoney on Facebook. "Hugwili yin (walk softly), Delgamuukw."
