Places We Visit in Haida Gwaii

Sandspit (Moresby Island)

Sandspit, also known as K'il Kun in the Haida language, is the southernmost community in Haida Gwaii and the only one on Moresby Island. For travelers visiting Haida Gwaii, Sandspit offers a wide range of amenities and serves as the main gateway to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Damaxyaa Heritage Site, and the National Marine Conservation Area.

The 85-berth harbor serves as a hub for boats and kayaks traveling to and from the surrounding islands, and the local grocery store is a perfect place to stock up before heading into the wilderness for an adventure. The town provides easy access to leisurely strolls along the shoreline or strenuous hikes into the dense rain forests beyond.

Skidegate Landing  

A quick ferry ride from Sandspit takes us to Skidegate Landing on Graham Island. The current town is on the site of an ancient Haida village. The highlight here is the Haida Heritage Center at Kay Llnagaay. Here we will have the opportunity to see traditional longhouses, learn about Haida history and culture and view hand-carved canoes and “totem” poles representing the six southernmost Haida villages.

The mission of the Heritage Center reaffirms the vibrancy of the Haida culture today: Through the Kay Llnagaay Haida Heritage Centre we celebrate the living culture of the Haida. Through language, art and stories we share our relationship with the land and sea—that which shapes, nourishes and sustains us. Kay Llnagaay protects and fosters Haida culture by reaffirming artistic expression and serving as a keeper of all that we are. Kay Llnagaay is a place for the Haida voice to be heard. This is our gift to the world.

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site

While the triple-name of this protected area might seem long and confusing, it is an intentional recognition of the interconnectedness of the Land, Sea and People of this place.

The National Park Reserve protects some of the most impressive old-growth temperate rain forest to be found anywhere in the world. Massive, 1,000-year-old red cedar trees and thick mats of moss shelter a unique biodiversity that has evolved on these isolated islands disconnected from the mainland.

The Marine Conservation Area includes two very distinct ecosystems. To the east of Haida Gwaii, the shallow Hecate Strait was once a vast, tundra-like plain when sea levels were lower during glacial advances. Evidence of old rivers, lakes and beach terraces can still be found below this passage of water that is famous for its ferocious storms. To the west, the ocean floor drops suddenly away to 9,000 feet, a result of the tectonic uplift that created these islands.

The Haida Heritage Site comprises several ancient village sites that still preserve remains of longhouse foundations, monumental poles, oyster farms and other signs of the thousands of years of Haida history on these islands. Time allowing, we may have the opportunity to visit a few of these sites which are cared for by Haida Watchmen who live on-site and will teach us the significance of each location.

The management of this combined protected area reflects a progressive approach that should be a model for parks and preserves around the world. After decades of fighting for control over their traditional homeland, the Archipelago Management Board, the controlling body for the protected area, has an equal number of representatives from the Council of Haida Nation and the Government of Canada.

Hlk'yah GawGa (Windy Bay)

If time and weather permit, we may be able to visit this site on Lyell Island that memorializes the battle the Haida and other environmentalists waged against logging companies culminating in a 1985 standoff at Sedgewick Bay. This standoff was a key factor in the creation of the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. The monumental pole that was raised here in 2013 was the first to be raised in Gwaii Haanas in 130 years. It was carved by Jaalen Edenshaw of the Ts’aahi Clan to represent multiple aspects of the Gwaii Haanas Agreement. The eagle at the top of the pole balanced with the sculpin at the bottom represent the protection of Gwaii Haanas from the peaks of the mountains to the seafloor.

Know Before You Go