Keyohwhuduchun Law & Lineage
Ancestral Succession of Leadership
The Role of the Keyohwhuduchun
The Keyohwhuduchun is the hereditary head of the Keyoh, entrusted with the stewardship of ancestral lands and the well-being of the extended family who belongs to it.
This title is not a colonial creation — it is an ancient responsibility that has guided Dakelh families for generations, long before the formation of Indian Bands or Reserves.
Each Keyohwhuduchun carries the knowledge, authority, and duties passed down through their ancestors, ensuring that land, language, and law remain connected. Permission to use a family’s Keyoh is granted only through the consent of the Keyohwhuduchun, reflecting the enduring sovereignty and autonomy of each family territory.
Dakelh Law and Authority
Dakelh law recognizes the heads of extended families as Keyoh holders, or Keyohwhuduchun.
This traditional law — and the authority it conveys — predates the establishment of Indian Bands and Indian Reserves by the governments of British Columbia and Canada.
When Bands were created roughly a century ago, members from dozens of Keyohs were grouped together. However, these Bands were not granted title or authority over those ancestral territories. That authority has always remained with the Keyohwhuduchun, and in the years since, nothing has changed this fact.
Today, many Keyoh families are also Band members, but they have never authorized the Bands to act on their behalf in matters relating to their ancestral lands.
Indian Bands serve as delegated administrative agencies for health, education, housing, and social programs under federal and provincial governments — but they do not hold or exercise Keyoh authority.
That authority rests with the Keyohwhuduchun, as it always has.
Succession of Leadership
The succession of the Keyohwhuduchun follows Dakelh law and custom, passing hereditary leadership from one generation to the next.
Traditionally, the title is inherited by the first male child, or by another family member chosen for their capacity to uphold the responsibilities of leadership, stewardship, and care for the Keyoh.
Each Keyohwhuduchun is a guardian of the land and custodian of cultural continuity, ensuring that knowledge, laws, and responsibilities endure from one generation to the next.
Ancestral Succession: The A’Huille Family
The Maiyoo Keyoh honours the lineage of its hereditary chiefs — a living chain of Dakelh law and leadership that has continued unbroken through generations:
George → Jimmy → Benoit → Pius → Sally → Petra
This ancestral succession reflects the strength of Dakelh governance and the continuity of Keyoh authority.
A visual genealogy slide first presented at The Exploration Place illustrates this succession and honours the A’Huille family’s enduring role as stewards of the Maiyoo Keyoh.
Honouring George A’Huille –
Keyohwhuduchun of Susk’uz and Maiyoo Keyoh
George A’Huille (also known as Hot’sot’en, Hahul, and Sidoman) was born in 1928 and served as Keyohwhuduchun of the ancestral villages of Susk’uz and Tsaisdli, as well as the Maiyoo Keyoh.
He was the last known Keyohwhuduchun to wear the Tsik’usdzai headdress — a powerful symbol of hereditary law, land stewardship, and cultural governance.
George is buried at the Susk’uz village site and burial ground, a sacred place that holds the memory of generations. Resting alongside him are his sons Jimmy and Benoit A’Huille, Benoit’s wife Holina and their baby Donald, Jimmy’s wife Betsy A’Huille, and Betsy’s mother Sabina Julian.
Their resting place at Susk’uz reflects the deep familial and cultural roots of the A’Huille family and their enduring connection to the Keyoh.
A monument dedicated to George A’Huille now stands as a tribute to his life, leadership, and legacy.
It marks not only his resting place but also the resilience of Dakelh law and the continuity of Keyoh stewardship passed down through generations.
A Living Legacy
The succession of the Keyohwhuduchun is a living legacy that connects ancestors to the present and secures responsibilities for future generations.
It ensures that the voices of our families and Keyohs remain strong, independent, and rooted in the land.
The Keyohwhuduchun is not just a title — it is a lineage of stewardship, law, and responsibility that sustains the Maiyoo Keyoh and the Dakelh way of life.
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