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“Pic of the Week”, February 9, 2018: Old Massett, Haida Gwaii
Haida Gwaii — the island chain off the coast of British Columbia formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands — has a long history of terrific native artistry. While visiting the islands, we made a stop in the small community of Old Massett which sits on the site of several historic Haida villages.
It was in Old Massett that some of the Haida people who had survived the devastating wave of smallpox that arrived with white settlers started regrouping in the late 19th century. Today, Old Massett is the administrative center for the Council of the Haida Nation.
Old Massett is home to the Islands’ largest collection of contemporary totem poles, which are located throughout the village. There are several skilled …
Feb 8, 2018
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.All Trips / British Columbia / North America / Western Canada
A visit to Skedans, Haidi Gwaii
One of the most memorable day-trips I’ve ever been on was to the remnants of the Haida village of Skedans. It’s a remote and rarely visited place. Sadly, not much remains of the village, captured near its prime in the image below this paragraph (from 1878), rich with great totem art and beautiful longhouses.
1878 photo of Skedans village. Courtesy the Library and Archives of Canada
Skedans is located on the northeastern shore of Louise Island, at the head of Cumshewa Inlet in Haida Gwaii (formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands), off the coast of North Central British Columbia just south of the Alaska panhandle. That sounds really confusing, so to help you better orient yourself to this remote place, here are a few maps I think will help:
Overview of Haida Gwai’s location
Location of totems and old Haida villages, Haida Gwaii
Skedans is also known variously …
“Pic of the Week”. June 7, 2013. Pesuta Shipwreck, Naikoon Provincial Park, Haida-Gwaii
There are few things that liven up a hiking day more than stumbling on a shipwreck. At least that’s my life’s experience (based on this one wreck)!
One of my most interesting backcountry backpacking experiences was hiking the East Beach Trail in Haida-Gwaii’s Naikoon Provincial Park. Haida-Gwaii are a string of over 100 island’s off B.C.’s central coast that formerly were called the Queen Charlotte Islands, a day’s ferry ride from Prince Rupert. Naikoon Provincial Park is a large, fairly flat park on the east shore of Graham Island. The East Beach Trail was a long flat beach walk, almost 90 kilometers over 5 days (with full packs) during which our group encountered only 5 other hikers. There were parts of the trail that were very easy to …
Jun 6, 2013
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“Pic of the Week”. January 4, 2013. Skedans Island Totem Poles, Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
Haida Gwaii, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands (or “Misty Isles”), is a chain of islands off the coast of northern British Columbia, just below the Alaska panhandle. The Islands are lush and green because they are wet — frequently foggy, drizzly or rainy. When I visited, one of the locals told me it’s not unusual to have only have a single day of sunshine a month. I’m not sure I could live in that type of environment but I did enjoy my visit!
Haida Gwaii has a rich aboriginal history and culture. Natives in the area lived as tribes, often in large communal houses built of cedar logs. Food (salmon, game, berries) was very plentiful …
Jan 3, 2013
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