Haida Villages

The Haida people have lived among these islands for more than ten thousand years. The Haida population plummeted in the late 1800's when contact with European explorers exposed them to new diseases such as smallpox. By the late 1800's there were fewer than 500 Haida left. Numerous village sites can be found throughout the islands. The best preserved of these sites is on Sgang Gwaay (the wailing island). This is one of the most southern islands in the archipelago. In 1981 UNESCO granted the island World Heritage Site status. On this island are what remains of the village of Ninstints. This is the best example remaining of one of these villages including the remains of longhouses and standing poles. We also visited other village sites located at Skedans, Tanu, Windy Bay, and Hotspring Island.

In 1985 the Haida lead an effort to stop logging in the area resulting in the creation of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. The park is now managed cooperatively by representatives of the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada.

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