Go Haida Gwaii

09/30/2024

🟠 Monday, September 30th, 2024 | The Gallery will be open 10 am – 2 pm 🟠

As a response to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #80, September 30th is now an annual statutory holiday to honour Indigenous survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities, and to ensure the history and legacy of residential schools remain a vital component of reconciliation.

On this day, we encourage you to do some personal reflection and take actionable steps toward reconciliation. This is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and make connections.

👉 What can you do to honour this occasion?

- Learn about the impacts of the Indian Residential School system
- Have meaningful conversations with your family and friends, including children
- Support Indigenous-led community organizations and raise awareness in your community and online
- Wear an orange shirt in solidarity and to encourage conversation
- We hope you will visit the Gallery to learn more through Northwest Coast art and culture, browse the books in our Shop and engage with some hands-on craft activities.

📞 Support Lines:
- 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) crisis line for grief, crisis and trauma counselling: 1-800-721-0066
- KUU-US Crisis Line Society: 1-800-588-8717

09/30/2024

Today, on Truth and Reconciliation Day, we reflect on the power of reclamation and the ongoing importance of sharing and learning. Through sharing and learning, meaningful education can take place, and truths can be highlighted. By honouring Indigenous stories and histories, we can continue to listen and learn.

Perhaps you already know how you are going to spend your day today, but if you are looking for actionable ways to learn, listen, and share, here are a few suggestions:

- Read: Two powerful books to explore include “That Which Makes Us Haida” (curated by Jasḵwaan Bedard and Jisgang) and “A Story As Sharp As A Knife” by Robert Bringhurst.
- Watch: “SGaawaay K'uuna (Edge of the Knife)” a powerful Haida film that is entirely narrated in the Haida language. https://gem.cbc.ca/media/sgaawaay-kuuna-edge-of-the-knife/s01
- Donate: to an Indigenous-led organization or cause: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate-to-indigenous-charities/
- Spend time listening to an Elder.
- Take a course: https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html
- Learn more about Orange Shirt Day and its origins in Williams Lake at orangeshirtday.org.
- Read about BC’s Declaration Act Action Plan:https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/government/ministries-organizations/ministries/indigenous-relations-reconciliation/declaration_act_action_plan.pdf
- Sign the Haida Pledge at: https://haidagwaiipledge.ca/
- Read about the Haida Title Agreement: https://www.haidanation.ca/stewardship/land/haida-title-land-agreement/
- Learn about the Reconciliation Pole:https://indigenous.ubc.ca/files/2017/10/UBC_Plaque_2017-Reconciliation_Pole-8-1.pdf
- Share what you have learned today with someone else. 🧡



- Face of the Reconciliation Pole carved by 7indansuu, Haida Hereditary Chief. Photo taken by Mary Helmer (Taawhluuwad Sangalth Stastaas)

09/26/2024

There is beauty even on the side of the road here. 🌅

09/23/2024

Gina ‘waadluxan gud ad kwaagiida | Interconnectedness | Everything depends on everything else.

📸 Benson Hilgemann

09/20/2024

This is a good morning from Mother Nature. What a start to the day!

09/19/2024

09/19/2024

Summer 2024' has come to an end, but Haida Gwaii remains a place worth visiting even as autumn settles in.

As the days grow shorter and the islands shift into a quieter pace, there's still so much beauty here to experience. The meadows transform into different shades of gold, chanterelles peek through the mossy forest floors, and coho salmon make their way up the Tll.aal/Tlell River.

October brings a special significance this year with the 50th Anniversary of the Council of the Haida Nation celebrated on October 5th in HlG̱aagilda/Skidegate. We are also looking forward to the Wild Harvest Festival on October 26th & 27th in K'il Kun/Sandspit. Open mics and coffee houses are back, adding a cozy feeling to the communities.

Keep in mind that some businesses might have irregular hours, storms can affect ferry schedules, and yes, there will be rain—lots of it. But if you ever get the chance, come and enjoy the cooler evenings, the fall colours, and local events here.

Before you visit, please check the Council of the Haida Nation's (CHN) website. All visitors are encouraged to sign the Haida Gwaii Pledge. Learn more and donate to support stewardship activities here: https://haidagwaiipledge.ca/

And lastly, please practice Yahguudang/Yakguudáng/Respect. Treat the land, the animals, and the communities here with care. We're grateful to call this place home, and we hope you find gratitude in your visit as well.

Photo credit: Scott Simpson, Bonanza Beach/Duu Guusd/Rennell Sound.

09/18/2024

Please join us today and tomorrow at Ḵay Llnagaay, HlGaagilda, for the international Abalone Summit!

Gud ahl tl’ hlG̱anggulas Galgahl’yáan damaan an hl tla ḵinggaa/ People working together to take care of abalone.

Experience heartfelt and inspiring stories and presentations about the importance of abalone. These conversations remind us that everything is connected to everything else.

Photo by CHN staff

09/18/2024

Reconnect with your body, mind, and spirit at our Wellness Retreat this Fall 2024, at the Haida House.

Nestled along the tranquil Tlell River, and surrounded by ancient forests, the Haida House offers an idyllic setting to embrace deep peace.

Our ocean front cabins and cozy lodge are perfect for relaxation while you immerse yourself in the serenity & natural wonders of Haida Gwaii. For dates and event details, contact us at [email protected] or call 250-557-4600.

Your journey to harmony begins here.

09/16/2024

A beautiful juvenile eagle.

Juvenile eagles, or g̲uud ts’uuna | young bald eagles, have a different appearance from adults, such as their brown plumage and darker beaks. They develop their distinctive white head and tail around 5 1/2 years old.

They rely on their parents for food anywhere from 4-10 weeks post fledging, learning vital hunting skills before taking off on their own. Sometimes they will spend longer, gaining their strength and learning important survival skills. 🦅

X̱aayda Kil: Guud | Eagle
Xaad Kil: Gúud | Eagle



📷 Joanne Kaashoek

09/11/2024

This year's edition of the Wild Harvest Festival will be happening on October 26th and 27th, 2024, in K'il Kun/Sandspit.

Note: this is a revised date (original dates were Oct 5 and 6).

Please help us spread the word as it was too late for us to update some of our main print advertising!

Visit our webpage www.wildharvestfestival.com for more details on the event.

See you there and then :)

09/09/2024

While in Gwaii Haanas, it is very important to follow the guiding principles. The guiding principles are behind every decision made about Gwaii Haanas and are based on values and ethics from Haida Law. We hope that everybody who visits Gwaii Haanas follows the guiding principles. Over the next few days, we will highlight the guiding principles and the illustrations meant to symbolize these principles. A big haawa thank you to Iljuwaas Tyson Brown for drawing all these principles which we hope all visitors to Gwaii Haanas keep in mind during their visits.
Learn more about the principles and including sound files in X̲aayda Kil to help you learn how to pronounce each principle: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/info/principes-principles

09/09/2024

Beautiful Tll.aal | Tlell in September.

What is your favorite season on Haida Gwaii?



📸 Elin Dieme

09/06/2024

Taanuud | Autumn is arriving 🍂

09/04/2024

MPORTANT NOTE - Update from Sept 8, 2024: The organizing committee has decided to postpone the event as another important Haida Gwaii event will be happening on October 5th.
We are tentatively looking at postponing to October 26th and 27th, 2024.
Stay tuned.

We are now preparing for and organizing the 7th annual Wild Harvest Festival!

Would you like to participate this year? Let us know, and we would be happy to discuss your involvement.

Do you know someone who would be a great presenter/speaker? Let us know and we would be happy to contact them.

www.wildharvestfestival.com
[email protected]

09/03/2024

Early morning casts in September.



📷 Jesse Vissia

08/30/2024

08/26/2024

Views from the inside of the Pesuta. 🚢

The Pesuta shipwreck is the remains of a wooden schooner that ran aground on the shores of Haida Gwaii in 1928. Originally built in 1910, the Pesuta was used for logging and transportation along the coast before it ran aground during a massive gale storm on December 11th, 1928.

To learn more about this hike located in Tlell | Tll.aal, please visit the BC Parks website.

08/23/2024

A beautiful winding cedar | ts’uu on the path to Secret Cove.

📍 Secret Cove, Gray Bay, K’il Kun | Sandspit

08/19/2024

From August to October, thousands of salmon | sg̲waag̲a journey from the open ocean back to their freshwater spawning grounds. The Honna River is one of these pristine places.

While traveling Haida Gwaii, please be mindful of the salmon spawning in the rivers right now. Observe from a distance and avoid disturbing their natural habitat. Enjoy your hiking!

08/16/2024

Haida Gwaii offers amazing opportunities for camping, hiking, kayaking, and boating, but it is also one of Canada’s most remote and wild areas. Because of this, emergency services, particularly in northern Haida Gwaii, are limited. The ER in Masset may not always be open, which means the closest hospital is several hours away, in Daajing Giids.

To ensure your safety while exploring, follow these tips:

- Travel with companions and avoid venturing into remote areas alone.
- Carry a satellite radio if possible.
- Pack a first aid kit and an emergency blanket.
- Bring extra layers of clothing.
- Inform someone of your travel plans and expected return.
- Use a water filter if drinking from creeks.
- Stick to marked trails and avoid wandering off.
- Refrain from eating unfamiliar shellfish or mushrooms, and be aware of red tide conditions.
- Store food securely in a tree while camping to deter bears.

Stay safe and enjoy your adventures! 🎒



📷 Jamie Hill

08/14/2024

Hello Hikers! Chasing the summer sun on the weekend? We could only suggest Renell Sound beaches for more sunny memories! ☀

One of the least known is called the Five Mile Beach Trail - but don't under estimate this short beach trail with its promising views and endless beach combing possibilities!

Five Mile Beach Trail - Short Hike to a Rocky Beach
https://hikehaidagwaii.com/five-mile-beach-trail-short-hike-to-a-rocky-beach/

08/13/2024

Beach Days ☀️



📷 Benson Hilgemann

08/13/2024

Evening light at Rose Harbour