Haida Gwaii (Islands of the People) is an island archipelago isolated from the mainland of British Columbia by the Hectate Strait, an often raucous expanse of water about 200km from the mainland of northern British Columbia.
Archaeologists believe human habitation on Haida Gwaii first began almost 15,000 years ago, crossing over the Hectate Strait when it was a grassy plain. These first peoples are known as the Haida, and their history and culture can be found throughout the Islands, often in the most remote and remarkable places.
The Haida world was suspended between ocean and forest, two mysterious universes populated with supernatural creatures. Haida stories tell of adventures between the First People and characters like Raven, Grizzly Bear and Killer Whale. Images of these creatures evolved into stylized crest figures, and referred to an ancestral encounter in mythic times. Each crest thus reflects the power and prestige gained in the encounter and passed down through generations. The pole was an object of pride owned by a clan and contributing to its wealth and esteem.
The poles pictured here are from a remote island known as Ninstints, but now referred to using the Haida name 'SGang Gwaay.' Since the early 1980's it's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and only a handful of visitors visit each year. It's one of the last remaining stands of totem poles in the world to inhabit its original location.
To be continued...
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