haida gwaii taxi and tours

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Plan your adventure.

Download the viriual copy of the Ḵaats’ii Hla | Ḵáats’a Hla | This Is Haida Gwaii Trip Planner. This magazine is filled with local stories, incredible photography, accommodations and places to see on the island. Learn how to get here, where to stay, and what to do when visiting Haida Gwaii. We are grateful for you taking the time to plan your adventure ahead.

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Please Visit Responsibly

Haida Gwaii is a spectacular place full of rare ecosystems and rich culture. Everyone on Haida territory shares the responsibility to take care of the land and ocean around us. Please follow the link below to take the Haida Gwaii Pledge before arriving.

Council of the Haida Nation

The Council of the Haida Nation was formed in 1974 to organize members of the Haida Nation into one political entity. Over the past 40 years the CHN has been addressing the land question and has become a National government enacting legislation and policy affecting many aspects of life on Haida Gwaii. The CHN works alongside the collective action of the Haida People to protect their culture and ensure their way of living continues.

get outdoors

Haida Gwaii is an ideal destination to experience the rugged and remote wilderness that British Columbia is known for. Accommodation varies from rustic off-grid beach cabins to modern and natural lodges, and extraordinary camping in old growth or on the beach. All accommodation is small scale and intimate. Each time you book you are talking with an owner who cares passionately about the quality of your experience.

Getting here and getting around

The archipelago of Haida Gwaii is separated from the mainland by the ḴandaliiGwii (Hecate Strait). This means you'll need to book a flight or ferry to get here. Once you land, it's important that you've sorted out transportation logistics ahead of time, as taxi and vehicle rental availabilities are limited. Here's what you need to know.

Arriving By Air

Arriving By Water

Getting Around By Car

Getting Around By Bike

Visitor Centres

Air service is available daily from Vancouver and Prince Rupert. For schedules and fares please check with the following carriers:

Air Canada flies daily from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Sandspit International Airport (YZP)

Pacific Coastal Airlines flies daily between Vancouver’s South Terminal (YVR) and the Masset Municipal Airport (ZMT)

Inland Air Charters has regularly scheduled flights between Prince Rupert and the Village of Masset

**Please note: When arriving to Sandspit by plane, it is important to organize transportation to Daajing Giids ahead of time, if needed. Options include renting a vehicle (see Getting Around By Car below), renting a bicycle from the Sandspit Visitor Information Centre (see Visitor Centres below) or pre-booking shuttle service from Gwaii Taxi & Tours.

BC Ferries provides regularly scheduled sailings to the Islands from Prince Rupert, year-round. They also provide daily service between Moresby and Graham island on the Kwuna vehicle ferry. Connector service is available in Prince Rupert for the Inside Passage route to or from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, or north with Alaska’s marine ferry system. If you are travelling with a vehicle and/or camper, be sure to make reservations well in advance of your trip – sailings book up fast! Arrive at terminals at least two hours in advance.

The Islands have long been known for their excellent recreational boating opportunities. Many of the communities have marinas, boat ramps and services catering to recreational boaters. There are harbours in K’il Kun (Sandspit), Daajing Giids, Gamadiis/’Wáan Kún (Port Clements), and Masset. Enquire with each respective harbour master for visitor berths.

There are only about 140kms of paved and maintained highways on the islands. There is an extensive network of forest access roads too, some suitable for short distances, and some definitely not advisable. Check out Drive BC for up-to-date road conditions. You can also enquire at the Visitor Information Centres in Daajing Giids, K’il Kun (Sandspit), Gamadiis/’Wáan Kún (Port Clements) and Masset. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation on island. Most communities do have vehicle rentals or a taxi service.

Vehicle Rentals

**Please note: We strongly recommend phoning to book, as online rental opportunities are not yet standard practice. Haawa for your understanding

Sandspit K’il Kun – Budget Car Rentals 250.637.5688

Daajing Giids – Budget Car & Truck Rentals 250.559.4641 Island Auto Rentals 250.559.4118 Haida Gwaii Vehicle & RV Rentals 250.637.1202 Gwaii Adventure Campers 778.260.2227

HlG̱aagilda (Skidegate) – Gwaii Taxi & Tours 250.559.2380 & mobile 250.637.1162 Haida Gwaii Scooter Rentals – 250.640.6474

Masset – Masset Car & Truck Rentals 250.626.7089 Rustic Car Rentals 250.626.3756

Cycling is a great way to experience Haida Gwaii for experienced cyclists .

Haida Gwaii has a very limited network of paved roads, which means that if you choose to stick to the pavement, you won’t necessarily be cycling all that much, and you will also have a hard time getting lost. Some roads have a small shoulder or oftentimes no shoulder. There are also many blind corners and traffic travels at a high rate of speed on many sections of the highway. Make sure you have bright / reflective clothing and lights on.

There is a much more extensive network of unpaved forest access roads that can take you much farther into the wilderness, though they are not for everybody. Make sure you are experienced in bike repair and well prepared for remote travel and in case of emergencies if you want to go to these areas.

Bike Rentals:

Masset – Masset Bikes 250.626.8939 North Beach Surf Shop 250.626.7873

K’il Kun (Sandspit) – Sandspit Visitor Centre 250.637.5362

Daajing Giids – Green Coast Kayaking 250.637.1093

There are Visitor Centres in K’il Kun (Sandspit), Daajing Giids, ‘Wáan Kún/Gamadiis (Port Clements) and Masset.

K’il Kun (Sandspit) Visitor Information Centre 250-637-5362 https://lovenorthernbc.com/community/sandspit/business/the-sandspit-visitor-centre/

Daajing Giids Visitor Information Centre 250-559-8316 daajinggiidsvisitorcentre.com

‘Wáan Kún/Gamadiis (Port Clements) Museum & Information Centre 250-557-4576 www.portclements.ca/village-office/visitor-information/

Northern Haida Gwaii (Masset) Visitor Information Centre 250-626-3982 massetbc.com

Accessible Haida Gwaii

Stop in at the Daajing Giids Visitor Centre for expert advice, gifts, and see the interpretive saltwater aquarium. Walk the trails around the waterfront. Check out the funky stores and cafes and restaurants on Wharf Walk. Hike the NansGa Gandlaay K’yuu Gore Brook Trail and if you’re feeling fit and adventurous, try the excellent Kuu Jad TlldaGaaw K’yuu Sleeping Beauty Trail. Always make sure to let someone know where you are going and be fully prepared for all aspects of backcountry hiking.

Haida Gwaii cannot yet be designated as wheelchair-friendly, but communities are working towards that goal. Download our Accessible Attractions PDF to learn more about existing accessible attractions, available equipment, and accessibility projects we have on the go. Did You Know? The Haida Heritage Centre and Saahlinda Naay (Saving Things House) Haida Gwaii Museum at Ḵay Llnagaay were designed to be wheelchair accessible. Although the inside of the centre is fully accessible, the outside area where the monumental pole tours are conducted has some challenges due to the uneven ground. In the summer, tours at the Centre include the monumental poles, carving house, Haida canoe and weaving tours.

Is there public transit available on-island?

Unfortunately, there is no public transportation on-island. Here are your options for getting around: 

Masset – Mile Zero Taxi – 250-626-8999 Daajing Giids/Sandspit – Gwaii Taxi & Tours – 250-637-1162

**Please note: We strongly recommend phoning to book, as online rental opportunities are not yet standard practice. Haawa for your understanding.

K’il Kun (Sandspit) – Budget Car Rentals 250.637.5688

Bike Rentals

Masset – Masset Bikes 250.626.8939, North Beach Surf Shop 250.626.7873

Is there cell service on Haida Gwaii?

Mobile device coverage on Haida Gwaii is good in some areas and iffy at best in others. For the most part you can pick up a reliable signal in each of the communities, however bars drop rapidly as soon as you hit the highway or the backroads. Check out our map  for a visual!

Is it necessary to book in advance?

Yes. We strongly recommend booking well in advance (~6 months). We are a small archipelago with limited availabilities. Booking in advance will give you the best selection and opportunity to secure your preferred accommodations and excursions for your dates of travel.

Similarly, all tours on Haida Gwaii, especially to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, should be booked in advance. Most tour companies offer excursions from May to September only. Sometimes tour operators may have an extra seat or two available day-of, but for peace of mind it’s better to secure your spot before you get here. Off-season (October-April) tours are sometimes available by advance arrangement – they vary by operator. 

How do I get to SG̱ang Gwaay UNESCO Site?

There is no road access to Gwaii Haanas – it is limited to float plane or boat access. Visitors who come to explore Gwaii Haanas do so either as part of a guided trip, travelling with a licensed tour operator, or on a self-guided adventure. SG̱ang Gwaay is located in the far south west of Gwaii Haanas and is the most difficult village site to access. You have the options of booking with a boat tour company, joining a guided kayak excursion or chartering a float plane to visit SG̱ang Gwaay. For a list of licensed tour operators, including floatplane service, visit the Gwaii Haanas website at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/visit  

Can I drive on the beach?

We advise all visitors to keep their vehicles off the beaches. In addition, rental companies will not allow you to drive their vehicles on the beaches. Make sure you check and abide by those directives. Every year vehicles get stuck out on the beaches. Additionally, irresponsible vehicle driving causes damage to the sensitive beach environment, river crossings, clam beds and more. Better to explore with your feet or by bicycle.

Orcas and Grizzlies Tour with Air

5 Days, 4 nights. In remote Alert Bay, local guides escort guests to pristine wilderness areas with historic high populations of grizzly bears and orcas.

Haida Gwaii Tours for Seniors | Ultra Small Groups

8 Days, 7 Nights. In Haida Gwaii, surround yourself in flourishing rainforests, windswept sand-dunes and endless beaches. Visit totems that honour 10,000 years of history. Meet Haida artists.

Custom Tours

Midnight Sun Adventure Travel is staffed by guides who have worked and loved this land for 30 years. We know the out-of-way places, properties and best places to view wildlife.

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Our 54-foot motor yacht Great Bear II will be your home away from home for our 8-day tours in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. The ship is certified by Transport Canada passenger vessel and is equipped with all the latest safety and navigation equipment. Our 18-foot hard bottomed zodiac is perfect for shore excursions, shoreline exploration, and as a platform for witnessing the spectacular carpets of intertidal sea life in Burnaby Narrows. We also carry kayaks and a row boat for guests to use in the serenity of our coastal anchorages.

FOCUS OF OUR TRIPS

Our Haida Gwaii tours in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve take us one hundred kilometers west of B.C.'s north coast, on the edge of the Pacific Continental Shelf, and to the archipelago of Haida Gwaii. Its shores bathed in warm, nutrient-rich waters, Haida Gwaii is often referred to as the Canadian Galapagos. Because the Haida First Nations People had such an abundance of food, they had time to develop one of the world's most powerful and creative cultures. The Haida culture, art, and the unique flora and fauna of B.C.'s Haida Gwaii are the main focus of our tours in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site.

VISIT THE HAIDA HERITAGE CENTRE

Our Haida Gwaii adventure tour may begin or end with a visit to the Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate where in 2001, the Haida raised six new totem poles in a memorable ceremony at the site of Kaay llnagaay, (Sea Lions Town). This important heritage centre celebrates the living culture of the Haida people, and includes an interpretive centre, carving sheds, theatre, and art school.

SEE OLD HAIDA VILLAGE SITES AND SPEAK WITH HAIDA WATCHMEN

As we travel south aboard our motor yacht Great Bear II into Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, our tour will bring us to the old village sites of Skedans, Tahnoo, Sgang Gwaay, (a World Heritage Site), and also Gandll K'in, (Hot Springs Island). In each of these sites, Haida Watchmen will greet and share with us the life and culture of each of these awe inspiring and very spiritual places. You will be able to walk alone on trails through these old villages, and have the time to see, hear, and smell, all that makes these sacred places so special! Bring plenty of film for your camera!!

UNIQUE FLORA & FAUNA, A BIRD WATCHER'S "EDEN"

Because Haida Gwaii has been separated from the British Columbia mainland for so long and much of the land escaped the last ice age, there exist many unique and genetically different species that cannot be found anywhere else in Canada. (Even the larger Black Bears found here are genetically different from their relatives on the mainland.) Haida Gwaii are a bird watchers 'eden': you may see Tufted Puffins, Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Murrelets, Shearwaters, Cormorants, Oyster Catchers, some of which only come on land to nest in the summer and spend the rest of their lives at sea.

WHALE WATCHING

Whaling was once an important industry in the islands. Those days are thankfully long gone and the whales have returned, and the whale watching is great! While it may be possible to enjoy whale watching throughout our tour in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, we have found ourselves surrounded by large groups of as many as 50 Humpback whales along the southern islands. Additionally, we can see Fin Whales, the second largest whales on earth, Minke whales, Transient Orca and if Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dalls Porpoises that sometimes come to play on the ship's bow wake.

A CLOSE UP OF THE PROLIFIC MARINE LIFE

A "float" through in Burnaby Narrows in the zodiac or in the kayaks with our onboard Naturalist at low tide is one of the highlights of our trips in Haida Gwaii. Below you, in the tidal channel stretches an endless carpet of sea life: tiny Bat Stars, small to huge sun stars, anemones, sea cucumbers, clams of every description, mussels, some tiny, and some the size of your hand, clinging to the seaweed drenched rocks, colourful red turban snails and huge moon snails. Hermit and rock crabs scurry along the colourful bottom looking for their next meal.

RELAXATION AT IT'S FINEST

Smaller tour groups allow for a more intimate experience, testimonials.

"...all shown to us with such modest competence--makes me proud to be part of Canada." ~ Phyllis, Toronto, Ontario

"As wonderful as the trips have been, the friendships with you are the most memorable and special aspects of these coastal adventures." ~ Al and Marilyn, Calgary, Alberta

"Your love and respect for these islands and these people are palpable and moving." ~  Margo, Vancouver, Canada

Haida Gwaii Tour Coastal & Authentic

SUGGESTED LENGTH: 7 DAYS

$8,855 (APPROX $6,430 USD) PER PERSON

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PLAN YOUR TRIP

About our Haida Gwaii tour:

On our Haida Gwaii tour, you’ll explore an archipelago off the coast of BC that’s filled with treasures. From its driftwood-lined shores to its moss-clad rainforests, the sights on this isle are utterly serene. If you’re looking for meaningfully Canadian indigenous experiences, then you’ve come to the right place. On the island, you can learn about traditional crafts by visiting the workshops of local Haida artists. You’ll visit ancient sites such as the totem poles of Old Masset, enjoy customary fare, and take part in a walking historical tour with a local naturalist. All of the activities here are grounded in the landscape and its people, it makes for a truly timeless journey. Welcome to BC!

A Haida Gwaii Tour with Entrée Destinations:

After a short yet jam-packed stay in Vancouver, you’ll get to the remote Haida Gwaii effortlessly via our private transfers and short-haul flight options. Journeying through the Canadian landscape has never been so easy, and with our 24/7 travel support, we are always by your side. Your itinerary will be built from the ground up to ensure that it’s just the right speed for you. This Haida Gwaii tour is a taster of what is possible, download the full version to find out more!

*Please note the price listed is an estimate, based on the availability of room types and all service providers.

Scroll down for a detailed itinerary

The Entrée Difference

WHAT SETS US APART

Our Attention to Detail: You don’t have to think of anything, we’ve got it covered.

Our In Depth-Knowledge: Working with us means having the top insider knowledge of Canada and Alaska at your disposal.

Our Responsive Nature: We ensure 24/7 support is given to you while traveling, and if necessary, back-up plans are executed seamlessly.

Our Custom Approach: Your trip is tailored just for you, by our expert travel planners.

The Itinerary

1 | VANCOUVER, BC

Upon your arrival in Vancouver, you will be met by your driver and transported to your hotel downtown. Once settled, take some time to explore the city center or go for dinner. We’re happy to assist with reservations, or make recommendations to a number of fantastic nearby restaurants. Vancouver is a culinary epi-center, and offers every cuisine imaginable! Accommodations are at the Wedgewood Hotel in a Penthouse Suite.

2 | VANCOUVER, BC

Spend the day visiting Vancouver’s most iconic destinations. Cruise for culture in Chinatown, marvel at the tall totems in Stanley Park and revisit history in Gastown. The Coast Salish, one of the largest First Nations in the province, inhabits the entire region and their influence can be felt everywhere from art galleries to festivals. Accommodations are at the Wedgewood Hotel in a Penthouse Suite.

3 | HAIDA HOUSE AT TLELL, BC

This morning your driver will collect you for a short transfer to Vancouver International Airport’s South Terminal. After a two-hour flight, you will arrive in Sandspit on Moresby Island, where a shuttle and ferry will transport you to Haida House. This is where your Haida Gwaii tour really begins! After a short orientation with your Director of Cultural Services, settle in and explore your surroundings. Haida House sits on the east coast of Graham Island near the village of Tlell, and offers 7 acres of woods with easy beach access. Accommodations are at Haida House.

4-6 | HAIDA HOUSE AT TLELL, BC

Your days at Haida House are filled with local culture, education and warm hospitality. Visit a local Haida artist in their home studio, enjoy a traditional Haida meal by a renowned local chef and discover countless historical sites. Stroll along Agate Beach with interpreters, discover the totem poles of Old Massett and hike Tow Hill (on clear days you can see the Alaskan mountain range). Accommodations are at Haida House.

7 | VANCOUVER, BC

After some morning explorations, you’ll be picked up by shuttle and take the ferry back to Moresby Island and Sandspit Airport. From there, a two-hour flight will transport you back to Vancouver where you’ll catch your connecting flight home, ending your Haida Gwaii tour. Safe travels!

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EAGLE TRANSIT LTD.

Bus charter service, northern health & taxi services on haida gwaii.

Welcome to Haida Gwaii 2024

2024 Bus Charter Bookings are now Open

Under license to the Province of British Columbia, Eagle Transit is your local Haida Gwaii Transit service provider for safe, efficient, friendly and dependable passenger transportation on Haida Gwaii.

  NH Connections Haida Gwaii 2024 In partnership with the Northern Health Authority, Eagle Transit operates service weekdays Mon to Fri  (except holidays or equivalent day) between Masset and Daajing Giids. Service is passenger directed hospital – hospital ONLY.

 Daily Schedule Call 1-250-559-4461 to make a reservation or (Email) [email protected]  Pre-booked and Manifested 24 hours in advance Public Transport Schedule ($10.00 per passenger to be collected by driver) if Medical the fee will be waived.   We Do NOT pick up on the highway. Hospital to Hospital Only. Depart Time Starting from Masset Hospital Masset (NHGH) 9:00 am Port Clements (store) 10:00  am Skidegate (as required) 11:20 am   BC ferries 11:05 am BC Ferries Terminal 11:15 am  Departs Daajing Giids Returning to Masset Daajing Giids (HGH) 12:45  Arrives in Masset 14:55 End of Day 15:25

Bus Charter Service Charter Bus for small or large groups  2024 season starts May to September filling up fast! If you are looking to tour beautiful Haida Gwaii we offer small and large Bus Charter Services, please send us an email for a cost quotes. Fleet consists of 1-32 passenger bus, 2-24 passenger buses, 1-10 passenger van.  Are you looking for a local Tour Guide or a places to visit feel free to reach out. 

Taxi services available soon!

Due to low ridership, We do NOT offer the Sandspit airport SHUTTLE SERVICE.   We would like to thank all our customers over the past six years who have supported us, we appreciate and value your business, Haawa.          Contact Gwaii Taxi & Tours. 

Now celebrating the companies 35 years of service.   We are very excited and fully booked for the 2024 summer season!  If you do not have a booking it is best to email as soon as possible so you do not miss out, you will be put on a wait list.   We continue to provide bus charters, Northern Health Services and taxi to follow soon.  Eagle Transit Ltd is under new management and is Haida owned & operated since September 15, 2016.  We are located in Skidegate as the new owners we look forward to serving you.

Thank you to Tricorp – Northern Health –   Northern Savings Credit Union, Haida Gwaii & Aboriginal Tourism for making it possible!!!

Some of our bus charters past and present: Local organizations on Haida Gwaii, National Geographic, School Districts all over BC, Several Tour Groups World Wide,  Government,  Communications and Public Engagement “Royal Watchers” was one of our first charters, we were very excited.

On Haida Gwaii, Exploring a Thriving Indigenous Culture

On the archipelago off the coast of british columbia, carvers and cooks, boat captains and botanists are helping revive haida culture and history..

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Tow (Taaw) Hill, an ancient volcanic plug on the north shore of Graham island, offers spectacular hiking and occupies a special place in Haida culture.

Photo by Northern BC Tourism/John Scarth

Hidden in an unmarked forest on Haida Gwaii’s wild and remote west coast stands a testament to human endeavor and resilience: the Mosquito Pole. Its intricate carvings, fashioned more than 200 years ago with tools made from bone and rock, depict numerous creatures from the rich canon of Haida mythology—a beaver, a bear cub, the namesake mosquito, a trio of watchmen keeping lookout in three different directions.

Reaching this site is no easy feat. There are no roads, trails, or towns nearby, and few people make it here. In September, I visited on a small catamaran with Haida Style Expeditions , discovering a coastline where, according to our captain (and co-owner of the tour company) James Cowpar, winds hit 100 mph and late fall and winter can bring 40-foot waves. After landing on a pebble beach and hiking up a rocky path and through trees on spongy, moss-covered ground, we finally found the frontal pole, which told of the lineage of the family living in the collapsed longhouse behind.

It’s a “beautiful place” for Cowpar, who is of Haida descent. He’s roamed this whole region in a range of boats since childhood, exploring burial and habitation caves with a paddleboard and hard hat, discovering ancient villages, and even finding (and covering up) the remains of his ancestors. But few tourists come; most try to head south to the smaller (but more numerous) poles at the UNESCO village of SGang Gwaay Llnagaay (formerly Nan Sdins or Ninstints).

That fact that the 40-foot Mosquito Pole was made and raised is astonishing enough, but that it’s still standing is equally miraculous; it’s survived centuries of lashing rain, high winds, seismic activity, landslides, and cultural looting. Similar poles have been chopped into pieces and reassembled for the edification of museumgoers in cities like Liverpool and Chicago. They quartered them and hauled them out in crates, Cowpar said.

The Mosquito Pole dwarfs its more famous southern cousins, and it predates any of the surrounding trees. Another well-preserved specimen nearby is playing host to multiple arboreal offspring, including huckleberry, hemlock, and spruce. It’s weather beaten and eroded on one side but clearly retains its detail on the other, telling a story of Haida culture and life that’s been suppressed in several ways in recent history but remains steadfast—and has been blossoming in recent years.

The archipelago of Haida Gwaii can be reached by boat or a two-hour flight from Vancouver.

Haida people have lived on this archipelago off the coast of British Columbia for some 13,000 years, initially in the tens of thousands across several dozen sites. However, after contact with Europeans in the late 1700s and a period of brisk sea otter fur trade, smallpox and other diseases introduced to the island in the 1860s reduced the population to some 600. Most Haida people eventually moved to one of two towns on Graham Island, the settlements now known as Old Massett and Skidegate. They now make up around half of the 5,000 population, according to the Haida Nation.

The late 19th century also saw the arrival of missionaries, who offered some help but oversaw the removal of house poles and mortuary poles, replacing traditional Haida architecture with more familiar (to them) buildings, and encouraging Haida people to use English names. Potlatches, or communal celebrations that marked big life events like deaths or marriages, were banned by the federal Canadian government in the late 19th century, imperiling traditions and even the Haida language itself.

Today, the language survives largely in books. It counts around 80 fluent speakers, according to Cowpar, but it’s being kept alive and revived by a determined band. “They thought ‘we’ve fixed these Indians’,” he smiled, “but little did they know there was an underground movement to hold on to the language. It’s slowly coming back.”

In fact, the past half century has seen a gradual resurgence in much Haida culture on X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay—the Haida name for the island chain meaning “island of the Haida people.” A good starting point for first-time visitors is Saahlinda Naay (or the “saving things house”) at the Haida Gwaii museum , just outside the town of Skidegate. Here, in a series of buildings that resemble traditional longhouses, art and artifacts have been on display since 1976.

The underlying theme at the Haida Gwaii museum is the “complex link between the land, the sea, human beings and Supernatural Beings”.

Photo by Destination BC/Grant Harder

A must-see video inside the museum tells of the first pole raising in a century in Old Massett Village in 1969. It was a momentous and joyous affair: the first in living memory, in more than a century, involving hundreds of people pulling ropes tied to the poles while elders in traditional dress looked on.

Marni, one of our guides for the week whose Haida name is Aadiitsii Jaad, was six years old at the time and has vague memories of events. She said the video makes her emotional and she recognizes some of the people, including a child of around nine who’s now in his 60s and raises poles today. “He used to free climb up poles and undo the knots,” she remembered.

Robert Davidson, who carved the pole, talks in the clip about the occasion, which he refers to as ground zero. “When I talk about ground zero, it couldn’t go any lower,” he said. “Because of the laws that governed us, muting our will to participate in ceremony, participate in our song and dance, the very thing that fills the spirit.” Another artifact in the museum really shows what he’s talking about: a sobering picture from the late 1800s of Haida women “allowed” one last photo in masks.

The 1960s event was the beginning of a pole-raising renaissance. Outside the museum stand six more modern poles, erected in 2002. Also carved from red cedar trees—preferably specimens arrow straight with few knots—they’re carved with a host of characters and crests that tell you a story as you stand below craning your neck up.

Marni decoded them for me: a bear mother, who was a human and had bear children; a cormorant; hats with etches indicating the number of feasts and potlatches the family had hosted; a dogfish; a wolf; and the raven, a key character in Haida mythology who ushered the first humans into the world from a clam shell. Like the Mosquito Pole, they’re emblematic of a culture regained and celebrated. Today, visitors will also see modern poles all over the islands, including one carved by Tim Boyko, which was raised outside a new hospital in 2019 and is accompanied by a sign that says, “Nurses rock.”

The potlatches are back, too. Shortly before my visit, renowned carver Kihlyaahda (Christian White) and his wife Candace Weir-White raised a 53-foot pole carved depicting a grizzly bear, a frog, and a great white shark mother from an 800-year-old cedar in front of their Old Massett longhouse. Christian and his two brothers, Todd and Derek White, each carved a watchman. Candace fed some 500–600 people at the accompanying event, which featured new masks, songs, and dances.

Tradition lives on elsewhere in Haida Gwaii, in tattoos, cedar hats, celebrations and more. In 2010, even the name changed from the former moniker for the archipelago since 1787—Queen Charlotte Islands—to its original name of Haida Gwaii.

Over a traditional Haida dinner of salmon, venison, and herring roe on kelp one night at Roberta Olson’s home, Keenawaii’s Kitchen in Skidegate, Marni fondly recalled the ceremony where everyone shouted “Charlotte Islands” into a cedar box and sent it away . That process has filtered down to the local level. Earlier this year, council members in the village of Queen Charlotte voted to revert to the original name of Daajing Giids.

A new generation of carvers

Across Graham Island (the northern portion of Haida Gwaii), carvers like Garner Moody chip away at cedar to keep tradition alive. A roomy wooden shed overlooking the bay outside Skidegate is carpeted with heaps of woodchips and shavings that feed a small burner, steeped in that unmistakable aroma of freshly cut wood, and sound tracked by blues rock blasting from a cassette player.

Garner has been carving since 1987, getting into it after working as an apprentice with the famous Haida artist Bill Reid. He’s a fun presence to be around, happy to be in photographs (“Oh for sure; I say, geez, where do you want me?”) and apt to slip into a conversation about sports. (Golden State Warriors “ruined the game; they’re not sportsmen,” he joked, when he hears I’m from California.)

Carvers like Reg Davidson keep Haida traditions alive, often working for months at a time on projects.

As plodding blues bass lines gave way to frantic harmonica, he explained how the pole-carving process works, making it sound unfeasibly easy. He starts out with a rough sketch on paper, where an inch is a foot (“I get a rough idea and go from there”), working from nine to noon for months on creations he eventually sells. Or as he put it: “Somebody might nibble, or I’m stuck with a pole.”

Up in Old Massett on the northern coast of Graham Island, Tyler York massaged slim slices off an exquisite eagle head destined for the top of a memorial pole carved by brothers Jaalen and Gwaai Edenshaw that was going to be raised in honor of their late chief, Gaahlaay (Watson Price) at Xaayna, an old Haida village, on Maude Island. York is also an award-winning actor having won Best Actor in a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle for his performance in the Haida language Edge of the Knife . A poem by another artist, Iljuuwaas (Tyson Brown) is printed out on the studio wall. “Like a cedar chip // from a chisel tip // I lay in a heap on the floor, Willing myself // to find a broom // and sweep me out the door.”

Conserving nature

Across the islands, nature is in abundance. In ancient temperate rain forests, the understory thrives and dampness reigns, shades of spongy green and yellow undulate, branch stumps sport mossy boxing gloves, and plant life drapes everywhere. The “Galápagos of the North” is a land of bears, puffins, and salmon, where biodiversity thrives and ecological integrity is being preserved as much as Haida culture.

Reverence for nature is ingrained in Haida life, and often they’ve fought to protect the islands’ old growth forests, waterways, and ecosystems. In 1985, after decades of clear-cut logging during which “people saw barges of logs leaving the island and nothing [coming] back in,” according to Marni, islanders staged a demonstration on Lyell Island. She flew down to join the effort and found herself arrested and kept in a logging company’s garage. The incident led to the establishment of Gwaii Hanas National Park Reserve and a Haida Heritage Site at Ninstints that is protected by Haida Gwaii watchmen .

Now, some 53 percent of Haida Gwaii’s land base is protected, along with 72 percent of its foreshore, thanks to a 2009 agreement between the Haida Nation and the Province of British Columbia. We’re led around the orchard, forest, and organic gardens surrounding the Haida House hotel at the southern end of Naikoon Park by naturalist Phred Collins, He was born in California to Canadian parents but quickly discovered home was where the Haida are, first arriving as a “kayak bum [content] with four bottles of wine, a good book, and a fishing pole”—but soon becoming a renowned expert on all things flora and fauna (particularly birds). People come to the islands from “all over the world” to learn about community, forestry, and culture he said.

A new approach to travel

Travel to Haida Gwaii has evolved in recent decades. Cultural and eco tourism have somewhat displaced hunting and fishing. Haida House was a bear-hunting lodge briefly before the Council of the Haida Nation decided to end the recreational practice and purchased the property to acquire the last remaining licenses. Marni and others, meanwhile, formed the Daughters of the River group to oppose sportfishing lodges that continued to function (unregulated by the department of fisheries) when others were shut down during COVID.

But there’s a limit to how much tourism of any kind the small archipelago and its infrastructure can handle. Haida Tourism offers travelers the chance to take the Haida Pledge —to respect the destination and the “Haida Ways of Being,” review an orientation document, and contribute to a stewardship fund.

That money can be used for programs that help Haida heritage thrive—like youth culture camps , where young people are taught “cultural, stewardship, survival, health, physical, and social development skills” that include clam digging, reading the tides, and visiting historic village sites. Marni told us about the camps when we stopped at the fabled Balance Rock . She’s hoping to take time off to take her niece and her niece’s children to one soon.

The talk reminded me of a quote about the Skidegate Haida Immersion Program I’d read at the Haida Heritage Center, attributed to Tlingit linguists and poets Nora Marks & Richard Dauenhauser: “Preservation is what we do to berries in jam jars and salmon in cans. Books and recordings can preserve languages, but only people and communities can keep them alive.”

Christian White works on huge, intricate pieces in his dedicated carving shed.

Photo by Northern BC Tourism/Marcus Paladino (left) John Scarth (right)

On our penultimate night, Phred took us for a kind of beach/forest bathing meditation walk. We navigated through the trees illuminated by iPhone torches before standing in a line 10 feet apart, with our feet in the sand, staring at the star-packed night sky over the calm fringes of the famously treacherous Hecate Strait. My mind started tumbling back to the timeless stories I’d heard and their recent representations on newly raised poles.

Haida Gwaii is often referred to as the edge of the world, and from one perspective that’s kind of true. It’s surrounded by miles of water, with northern B.C. on one side and Russia somewhere distant on the other—but to many islanders, Haida or otherwise, it’s the very center.

Perhaps more fitting is an older name, which means roughly “islands on the boundary between worlds” and refers more to the gray area between this world and the supernatural. As the author of The Golden Spruce, John Vaillant, has it, they “represent a sort of existential intertidal zone.” That evening, as I looked out at the water, facing continental North America but seeing only bioluminescent sparkles, faint, possibly imagined lights on the horizon, and gentle waves lit by the glow of a distant Venus, I started to know what that means.

How to Visit Haida Gwaii

There are a number of places to stay in Haida Gwaii , but we spent our week at the Haida-owned Haida House, a lodge on the banks of the Tlell River, which runs parallel and just inland from Graham Island’s east coast. Here, new oceanfront cedar cabins come complete with hot tubs and outdoor showers; guests can book three-, four-, or seven-night packages that include meals, transfers, and local Haida-guided excursions. With no public transport on the islands and limited car hire available, it’s a good way to make the most of your time and immerse yourself in the culture.

If you’re looking for a book for the two-hour flight from Vancouver, Robert Bringhurst’s A Story as Sharp as a Knife: The Classical Haida Mythtellers and Their World and The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed by John Vaillant are both enlightening reads.

On small islands off Canada’s coast, a big shift in power

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Jason Alsop, the president of the Council of the Haida Nation, in Skidegate on Haida Gwaii’s main island in British Columbia, Canada, May 23, 2024. British Columbia recognized the Haida’s aboriginal title to their islands decades after the Indigenous group launched a battle on the ground and in the courts. (Amber Bracken/The New York Times)

Guujaaw, a Haida leader who goes by his Haida name, at his home in Skidegate on Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, Canada, May 24, 2024. British Columbia recognized the Haida’s aboriginal title to their islands decades after the Indigenous group launched a battle on the ground and in the courts. (Amber Bracken/The New York Times)

Dale Lore, a former mayor of Port Clements who became an ally of the Haida Nation in their quest for the title to their land, outside of Port Clements on Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, Canada, May 23, 2024. British Columbia recognized the Haida’s aboriginal title to their islands decades after the Indigenous group launched a battle on the ground and in the courts. (Amber Bracken/The New York Times)

HAIDA GWAII, British Columbia — The Raven, the story goes, alighted on the beach and heard sounds coming from a giant clamshell. He found creatures cowering inside, but, ever the trickster, he cajoled them out into the world. Liberated, they became the first people of the islands of Haida Gwaii.

The Haida people have lived for thousands of years on Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean off Canada’s western coast, just south of Alaska.

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Nearly wiped out by smallpox after the arrival of Europeans, the Haida clung to their land — so rich in wildlife it is sometimes called Canada’s Galápagos, coveted by loggers for its old-growth forests of giant cedars and spruce.

For decades, despite their geographic isolation, the Haida’s unwavering fight to regain control over their land drew outsize attention in Canada, raising questions about the country’s long unacknowledged, brutal colonial history.

The Haida opposed clear-cut logging, building ties with environmentalists. They forged alliances with non-Haida communities at home and found common cause with other Indigenous groups across the world.

They sued British Columbia for title to their land in 2002 and supported their claims of ancient ties to the archipelago with a museum that showcased their art, artifacts and foundation myths, like the story of the Raven.

Their methodical and painstaking quest came to fruition in May when the government of British Columbia passed a law — the first of its kind in Canada — recognizing the Haida’s aboriginal title throughout Haida Gwaii. No provincial or federal government in Canada had ever willingly recognized an Indigenous people’s title to their land.

Over the next few years, the provincial government’s authority over the land and resources is expected to be handed over to the Council of the Haida Nation, the Haida people’s government.

“On our side, we knew exactly what we wanted, who we were and why we were doing what we did,” said Frank Collison, 89, a hereditary chief who recalled facing unresponsive provincial and federal governments for decades. “They just weren’t interested in doing anything and quite satisfied to keep us under their thumb.”

British Columbia’s premier, David Eby, said title recognition meant the province was “moving beyond a place where the Haida Nation’s rights were denied to a place where they are recognized and upheld.”

Exactly how power shifts to the Haida still needs to be negotiated with British Columbia, even as the province continues to provide services like health care and maintain infrastructure like highways.

Some legal experts say the provincial law leaves some critical issues unclear, including the impact of aboriginal title on private land owned by non-Haida people.

Others question whether the province can recognize aboriginal title — an Indigenous group’s inherent right to land it occupied and used before colonization — without the federal government.

Haida leaders say they are optimistic that they will reach an agreement with the federal government, which has also been moving toward recognition of aboriginal title.

Still, on Haida Gwaii, with a population of 5,000 divided evenly between Haida and non-Haida, the development is seen as a watershed.

The Indigenous community spoke of colonial liberation and of reclaiming its natural resources.

Among the non-Haida — referred to as “settlers” on the archipelago — many expressed support for the change, though some said they feared a future dominated by the Haida.

Court decisions over the years had indicated that the Haida would eventually win their claim. So British Columbia’s government, led by the left-leaning New Democratic Party, decided instead to negotiate an agreement that led to the legislation.

“It showed a basic amount of respect, which was welcome,” said Jason Alsop, the president of the Council of the Haida Nation.

Alsop spoke from the council’s headquarters overlooking Skidegate, a village on the archipelago’s main island where smallpox survivors gathered in the 19th century.

Benefiting from an usually rich land and sea, the Haida had developed a prosperous society as traders, seafarers, artists and owners of enslaved people from their wars with other Indigenous groups. Haida Gwaii means Islands of the People in the Haida language.

Diseases introduced by Europeans decimated their population of 20,000 to 600 by the late 1800s. In the 20th century, the Haida were further marginalized because of Canadian government policies and wide-scale logging.

It was in the 1970s that the Haida, along with some other Indigenous groups in Canada, started reaffirming themselves.

“We began putting ourselves back together,” said Nika Collison, executive director of the Haida Gwaii Museum in Skidegate.

Leaders established the Council of the Haida Nation, an elected body that spoke on the community’s behalf in negotiations with the provincial and federal governments. They built the museum, which shored up their claim to aboriginal title by not only exhibiting their culture but also repatriating human remains and art objects from museums across the world.

They revived traditional knowledge that had been nearly lost. For the first time in 75 years, they built a canoe from a cedar tree, “back-engineering” surviving ones, recalled Guujaaw, a former council president who goes by his Haida name.

Leaders framed their campaign as part of global independence and environmental movements.

Not everyone, though, was happy with the change in the balance of power.

Randy and Gloria O’Brien own one of the biggest independent logging companies on Haida Gwaii, a firm that has also long had a provincial contract to service the region’s highways.

Over the years, as Haida leaders and environmentalists waged battle against clear-cutting, the overall supply of timber has decreased and hurt their business, the O’Briens said. They had been forced three years ago, they said, to log cedars from half of a 320-acre property they had planned to pass on to their children and grandchildren.

As power began shifting toward the Haida, the O’Briens said that elected officials had grown indifferent to their complaints.

“They won’t return phone calls, and Victoria, we can’t even get in there to see anybody,” said Gloria O’Brien, 73, referring to the provincial capital. The couple said they feared for their company’s future after doing business on Haida Gwaii since the mid-1970s.

“When we first came here, we met a lot of Natives, and they became our friends,” said Randy O’Brien, 76. “We partied with them, went fishing, went hunting, everything.

“But all of a sudden, now they’re — ” he said, with a laugh. “They’re going to be our overlords.”

Alsop, the council president, said the Haida wanted to move away from “a volume-based model” of logging.

Christian White, 62, a well-known Haida artist, said that for years, he had watched barges leave Haida Gwaii with loads of cedar logs — even as the Haida themselves were limited by forestry rules in acquiring trees central to their culture.

In his studio, where one of his sculptures depicted people coming out of the clamshell upon which sat the Raven, White said, “We are a sharing people, but the others, they’ve gotten more than their fair share for way too long.”

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Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii (Paperback)

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Based on ancient Haida narratives, this vibrantly illustrated children's book empowers young people and teaches them to live in harmony with nature.

Haida Gwaii is home to a rich and vibrant culture whose origins date back thousands of years. Today, the Haida People are known throughout Canada and the world for their artistic achievements, their commitment to social justice and environmental protection, and their deep connection to the natural world. Embedded in Haida culture and drawn from ancient oral narratives are a number of Supernatural Beings, many of them female, who embody these connections to the land, the sea, and the sky. Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii features ten of these ancient figures and presents them to children as visually engaging, empowering, and meaningful examples of living in balance with nature. Developed by renowned Haida activist, lawyer, performer, and artist Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Haida educator Sara Florence Davidson, this book challenges stereotypes, helps advance reconciliation, and celebrates Indigenous identity and culture.

• People & Places - Canada - Indigenous
• Social Science - Folklore & Mythology
• Paranormal & Supernatural
• Paperback (April 19th, 2022): $16.95
• Hardcover (November 19th, 2019): $22.95