Information about Haida Gwaii

The Queen Charlotte Islands or Haida Gwaii ("Islands of the People") are an archipelago off the northwest coast of British Columbia, Canada, consisting of two main islands, Graham Island in the North, and Moresby Island in the south, and approximately 150 smaller islands with a total landmass of 10 180 km² (3,932 sq mi). The islands are separated from the British Columbia mainland to the east by the Hecate Strait. Vancouver Island lies to the south, across Queen Charlotte Sound, while the U.S. state of Alaska is to the north, across the Dixon Entrance.

Some of the land, including the homelands of the Haida people, is jointly protected under federal and Haida legislation as Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. The islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, including the largest subspecies of black bear (Ursus americana carlottae) and the subspecies of stoat Mustela erminea haidarum. The black-tailed deer and raccoon are introduced species that have become abundant.

Economy

The cash economy is resource-based, primarily logging and commercial fishing. Furthermore, service industries and government jobs provide about one-third of the jobs, and tourism has become a more prominent part of the economy in recent years, especially for fishing and tour guides, cycling, camping, and adventure tourism.

Population

At the time of colonial contact, the population was roughly 10,000 to 12,000 people residing in several dozen towns. Ninety percent of the population died during the 1800s from smallpox; other diseases arrived as well, including typhoid, measles, and syphilis, affecting more. By 1900, 700 people were left. Towns were abandoned as people left their homes for the mission towns of Skidegate and Masset, cannery towns on the mainland, or for Vancouver Island. Some 3500 people live on the islands today. Indigenous people (Haida) live throughout the islands, and maintain two exclusive communities in Skidegate and Old Masset, each with a population of about 1000. Anthony Island and the town of Ninstints were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006; in the decision, the decline in population wrought by disease was referenced when citing the 'vanished civilization' of the Haida.^[1]

European exploration

The archipelago was visited in 1774 by Juan Pérez (at Langara Island) and in 1778 by Captain James Cook. In 1787 the islands were surveyed by Captain George Dixon. The islands were named by Captain Dixon after one of his ships, the Queen Charlotte, which was named after Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of the United Kingdom.

The name Haida Gwaii was more recently introduced as an alternative to the colonial name "Queen Charlotte Islands", to recognize the history of the Haida Nation. "Haida Gwaii" means "our land", while "Haida" on its own means not only "us" but also "people".

No longer in common usage is the more ancient name of 'Xaadala gwayee' or, in alternative orthography, 'Xhaaydla Gwaayaay', meaning Islands on the Xhaaydla, that is to say, Islands on the Boundary between Worlds, 'Worlds' referring here to the forest, sea, and sky; indeed, the coastal villages of the Haida occur along the meeting of forest, sea, and sky.

Natural setting

The archipelago seems to have escaped much of the glaciation of the last ice age. That, and its subsequent isolation from the mainland, has produced what some call the "Galápagos of the North," a unique biological zone with many endemic animals and plants. Its climate, like that of the rest of the British Columbia and Alaskan coast in the area, is moderated by the Kuroshio Current and features considerable precipitation and relatively mild temperatures the year round.

Haida Gwaii was the site of Kiidk'yaas (meaning "ancient tree"), the only naturally occurring golden Sitka Spruce in the world. The Golden Spruce was sacred to the Haida people as well as a popular tourist attraction. The 300-year-old tree was illegally cut down by Grant Hadwin on January 22 1997 as an apparent political protest against Canadian-government-sanctioned logging companies.^[2] While Botanists from the University of British Columbia took cuttings from the fallen tree explaining that they did so to prevent this unique form of tree from being lost forever, one Haida citizen is aware of the existence of another golden spruce.

The islands are home to a wide variety of other large native trees, including the beautiful Western Redcedar, Yellow Cedar(Nootka Cypress), Shore Pine, Western Hemlock, Mountain Hemlock, and Red alder.

Another rare natural occurrence that was popular amongst tourists to Haida Gwaii was the White Raven. This was an albino raven that was often mistaken for an eagle or seagull owing to its unusual colouring. The White Raven lived around Port Clements and would commonly be seen taking food handouts from locals and visitors alike. It died after making contact with an electrical transformer, temporarily knocking out power to the town and surrounding area.

Culture

Visual arts

The artwork known as Haida Gwaii, by Bill Reid, is featured on the reverse of the Canadian $20 bill.^[3] The piece depicts the Spirit of Haida Gwaii in a canoe, accompanied by the mythic messengers. Haida art is also frequently seen on large monumental sized cedar totem poles and even as cartoons in the form of Haida Manga.

Haida language

The Haida language has been classified as part of the Nadene family of languages, though most linguists acknowledge a deep resistance to classification and accept that Haidi may best be classed as an language isolate. All 50 remaining speakers of Haida are over 70. TELUS and the Haida Gwaii elders recently completed a project to bring broadband internet to the island via a 150 kilometre microwave relay. This enables interactive research to be carried out on the more than 80 CDs of language, story and spoken history of the people.

Notes

• A military intelligence gathering station that was key in monitoring communications in the northern portions of the former Soviet Union during the Cold War is located just outside Masset, near the northern tip of Graham island.
• There are no fast-food restaurants in the Queen Charlotte Islands

Transportation

The main transportation links between the Islands and mainland British Columbia are the BC Ferries terminal at Skidegate, the Masset Airport, and the Sandspit Airport. The westernmost leg of Highway 16 connects Masset and Skidegate on Graham Island, and Skidegate with Prince Rupert on the mainland via regular BC Ferries service by the M/V Queen of Prince Rupert. There is also regular BC Ferries service between Skidegate and Alliford Bay on Moresby Island. Floatplane services connect to facilities such as the Alliford Bay Water Aerodrome and Masset Water Aerodrome.

References

External links

• Hello BC - official tourism site
• Queen Charlotte Island Visitor Information Centre
• Sandspit Chamber Of Commerce
• Village of Masset
• Village of Port Clements
• Council of the Haida Nation
• Information on the forestry dispute
• The QCI Observer - Local Newspaper