Place
Haida Gwaii
A remote, beautiful archipelago about sixty miles off the coast of British Columbia, known for its rare wildlife and plants, ancient rainforests and the rich culture and history of the Haida Nation.
Off the north coast of British Columbia lies Haida Gwaii - "Islands of the People." The Haida Nation has lived in the area for more than 13,000 years, developing a maritime culture known for its art and resilience; their intricate totem poles, ocean-going canoes, and traditions have influenced how the rest of the world views Pacific Northwest Coast art. The islands are as rich in natural features as they are in cultural heritage, with ancient Sitka spruce forests, seabird colonies, unique black bears, and abundant marine life in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve.
In Gold Man, time spent on Haida Gwaii could be said to be transformative.
THE ISLANDS: Islands of the People
CULTURE: The Art of the Haida Haida art uses bold, carved, curving lines to depict animals, ancestors, and family crests on masks, poles, canoes, and jewellery. Museums and private collections worldwide old works by local artists Bill Reid, James Hart and others. The Haida are among the most recognized Indigenous artists of the Northwest Coast.
CONSERVATION: Gwaii Haanas: Protecting an Irreplaceable World The Haida Nation jointly manages Gwaii Haanas with the Government of Canada. The partnership is a prime example of Indigenous-led conservation in Canada.
WILDLIFE: The Unique Wildlife of the Archipelago These islands, not affected by the ice age, have been separated from other lands for thousands of years. Many animals have specific traits. The Haida black bear is one example. It is bigger and classified as its own subspecies. The Haida ermine and the pine marten are also distinct from their mainland relatives. Several forest birds are, too, including the saw-whet owl and Steller’s jay. These and other species demonstrate how isolation changes local animals and birds.
The islands carry an ecological richness to match their cultural depth: ancient Sitka spruce forests, seabird rookeries, black bears found nowhere else, and the dense marine life of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. In Gold Man, Haida Gwaii represents the kind of place that changes a person — a landscape that carries gravity.
The Islands
Islands of the People
Culture
The Art of the Haida: Form, Line, and Power
Haida art is among the most sophisticated visual traditions in human history — a formal system of ovoids and formlines encoding genealogy, spiritual power, and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Conservation
Gwaii Haanas: Protecting an Irreplaceable World
The Haida Nation and the Canadian government jointly manage Gwaii Haanas — an act of co-governance that has become a model for Indigenous-led conservation across Canada.
Wildlife
The Unique Wildlife of the Archipelago
Isolated for thousands of years, the animals of Haida Gwaii have evolved distinct characteristics — the Haida black bear is larger, the subspecies unique. These islands are a living laboratory of island biogeography.
More stories about Haida Gwaii's culture, ecology, and history are in preparation.