Home » Travel » Canadian Tourism » THE HAIDA NATION

THE HAIDA NATION

© Mary M. Alward

The Haida Nation was once the most powerful of Canada’s Native People’s. Haida Gwaii is a cluster of islands situated south of Alaska’s panhandle and ninety miles off the northern coast of British Columbia. The southern islands are mountainous; the most predominate being Moresby Island.

Graham Island, a large northern island is where the Haida people now live. Its western side is mountainous - its east side flat with outcrops of rock.

Haida Gwaii, better known as Canada’s Queen Charlotte Islands experienced very low water levels at the end of the last ice age. Hecate Strait, the body of water that now separates Haida Gwaii from the mainland was dry land at that time. The area had numerous lakes and rivers that emptied into the Pacific Ocean. Many areas of Haida Gwaii were habitable during the ice age. Thousands of years later, melting glaciers caused the sea level to rise. This resulted in the flooding of the Northwest Coast. The memory of the floods live on today in the myths of the Haida.

First traces of the Haida Nation consist of stone tools. These have been found in the intertidal areas that once were dry land. Large, elaborately carved canoes made it possible for the Hiada to communicate and trade with northern tribes. The Haida at this time began to improve their tools. They began to make them out of obsidian, a volcanic glass, instead of stone flake. Because obsidian can be precisely dated and the obsidian was only found on islands that were far from the mainland, the maritime skills of the ancient Haida must have been superb.

In the earliest times, the Haida relied mainly on hunting and fishing to supply their every need. But five thousand years ago, their population had grown and they had expanded their economy to include harvesting shellfish from intertidal areas. This rendered their food supply inexhaustible. It also made it possible for the Haida to put down more permanent root since they no longer had to travel in search of food. These changes made it possible to develop woodworking skills. Skilled craftsman began to build larger and more elaborate canoes. At this time, the Haida began to use planks to construct their homes.

The advancement that was made possible by better sea-faring vessels made it possible for the Haida to become more profitable through warfare with tribes on the mainland. They would venture across the treacherous waters of Hecate Strait with little fear of retribution. They were the only tribe capable of crossing these dangerous waters.

The copyright of the article THE HAIDA NATION in Canadian Tourism is owned by Mary M. Alward. Permission to republish THE HAIDA NATION in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.