Haida Tales

By James Dorsey - On the southern tip of a windswept archipelago sixty miles off the coast of mainland British Columbia, lie the remains of a great civilization.

Ninstints Totems, by James Dorsey

Tucked into a sheltered cove on the East Side of Anthony Island, the once thriving village of Ninstints (or Skuun Gwaii, or Sung Gwaii; there are many local spellings) is guarded by the last standing giants of the Haida Nation. Twenty-six totem poles carved by Haida masters stand in silent watch over the land.

The Haida people are native to these islands, and have an ancient history rich in both art and warfare. Their oral history can be traced back for 7000 years. The early people called their land "Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai," or "Islands at the Boundary of the World." The name has since been shortened to Haida Gwaii, or "Land of the Haida." Most of the world calls this archipelago the Queen Charlotte Islands. They number more than 1800 in all, and are part of British Columbia, Canada.

The earliest recorded information on these islands came from Spanish explorer, Juan Perez who discovered them in 1774. A decade later, Russian fur traders began to frequent them and for the next century they were the only non-native visitors. The islands got their current name from the flagship of Lord Howe, the H.M.S. Queen Charlotte, who was the wife of King George III of England.

Funeral Totem Pole, by James Dorsey

As a seafaring people, the Haida carved enormous war canoes from a single cedar tree. The canoes were large enough to carry dozens of warriors over sixty miles of open ocean to raid villages and take slaves on the mainland. They were fierce warriors and have often been called the "Vikings of the north." The Haida also carved the first totem poles to honor their accomplishments and leaders.

Before white contact, the Haida people had already raised carving to a high art form. The introduction of metal from Russian fur traders allowed them to fashion new and more efficient tools, increasing their skills tenfold. The Haida carved wood like most of us breathe, and they did it on a monumental scale. House columns, commemorative totems, burial boxes, and even ornamental bowls were all of the highest quality.

A Haida chief named Tahayren, who later took the British name, Charles Edenshaw, is generally acknowledged as one of the finest carvers ever.

Upon his death, his carving tools were passed on to his nephew, Charles Gladston, who is the grandfather of Bill Reid. Reid, whose Haida name was Iljuwas Yalth Sgwansang, died only a few years ago. During his life, he continued the great tradition of carving and started a resurgence among young Haida in the art form. Today the work of Reid and Edenshaw resides in the world's finest museums as examples of the epitome of Haida carving. Reid is buried at the village site at Tanu and his grave is a revered place for the Haida people.

On our way south, we stop at Tanu and leave a few seashells on the headstone of Bill Reid as a small thank you for what he has left us, and take a few minutes to view the totems remaining at this site. There is an impressive Sea Bear and what I have been told is a calendar totem, but this is not our final goal. These poles sit back in the woods and do not have the dramatic impact of the carvings at Ninstints.