An Island Haidaway

04/06/2023

The GAHS Low-Income Spay-Neuter program is made possible by the generous donations from the Haida Gwaii Animal Hospital (HGAH), Gwaii Animal Helpline Society (GAHS) supporters, the BC SPCA’s c

06/24/2022

Blessings on this celebration!

"Why is this photo so important? The people of Skidegate Village gathered for this photo (circa approx 1886-1890) by a missionary in order to commemorate the last time they would be allowed to wear their ceremonial regalia. After this, their cultural property was taken away. The Canadian government enacted a law which banned all Indigenous ceremonies--including the Potlatch--from 1885 to 1951.

"This photo hits extra hard because my 3x-great grandmother Jeannie and 2x Great grandmother Elizabeth are shown here (front row left, 2nd photo close up) The Haida are a Matrilineal society who pass names, titles, songs, dances and prerogatives through the mothers' line. These are the women whose lineage runs through my veins.

"Remarkably, Jeannie had been living down south around Tacoma Washington--like many Haidas had been known to do during that time. (Haidas were known to have recurrent seasonal villages as far south as the Puget Sound area). Jeannie's brother George Young paddled by canoe to bring her and her children back to Haida Gwaii because they were the last remaining lineage holders of our Clan. Had he not returned them home, our Clan would have been essentially forgotten.

"They arrived in Skidegate to a rapidly changing landscape (as you saw from one of our previous posts of all the totem poles in our village being cut down and hauled away in just over a decade). Here in this photo, my ancestors sit--marking the last occasion the village was allowed to publically don their cultural property. Because of Government imposed laws, Residential Schools, and Religion, the culture lay dormant within our clan from then... until now!

"On June 24, my brother Jesse and my daughter Marlo will be opening their art exhibit at the Haida Gwaii Museum. To celebrate this occasion, as well as to conduct my traditional marriage ceremony, our Clan will be feasting for the first time in written record (well over 150 years) on the following day, June 25th.

"For the Show Opening we are honored to share the evening with a cultural exchange between the Tluu Xaadaa Naay Cultural Group from Masset and the Kumugwe Dancers, a Kwakwa’kwakw cultural group from K'omoks."

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=344612914444020&set=a.320342160204429 From Native American No1 Store.

05/27/2022

02/12/2022

09/30/2021

Use and implement the 94 calls to action

09/18/2021

Status quo must definitely go!

Adeana Young for Skeena-Bulkley Valley

09/04/2021

Agree!

Adeana Young for Skeena-Bulkley Valley

09/02/2021

Be there or be square!!!

We're running a Green campaign in more ways than one! To cut down on travel costs and emissions, I'll be hosting Zoom-based meet and greets throughout the rest of the campaign.

Grab a couple of friends and gather in my virtual living room to share your priorities with me; I can't do my work without you.

Email [email protected] or DM this page to set up a time!

08/20/2021

07/31/2021

Alex Morton shares a guest blog with the inside story of the battle over Discovery Islands salmon farms, straight from the industry's affidavits filed in court.

The battle she traces is fraught with peril for our wild salmon: keeping farmed salmon out of the narrow passages of the Discovery Islands is key to the survival of critically depressed stocks of Fraser River salmon.

Read it here: https://www.safesalmon.ca/licencing

05/25/2021

Getting on

04/19/2021

Be a Wild Salmon Defender." Take the Pledge to stand with Salmon Nations & ban fish farms. raventrust.com/pledge-wild-salmon.