Haida

The Haida are a Native American tribe of the west coast of North America. The Haida territories comprised an archipelago called Haida Gwaii, off the coast of British Columbia, and southeast islands of Alaska. Their main archipelago is commonly known by the European applied name, the Queen Charlotte Islands. Their ancestral language is the Haida language, which has never been adequately classified by linguists because of its uniqueness.

Haida in The Two Georges
The Haida had been decimated by "white man's diseases" (mainly smallpox) in the 17th century but continued to survive and live on the Queen Charlotte Islands and the mainland. Many no longer followed their native traditions and had assimilated into British lifestyles and professions. For instance, a number of sailors working on Northern Lights were Haida.

Those who still followed the old ways, lived in Skidegate Village just outside Skidegate proper. They continued as hunters and fishermen and with traditional arts such as woodcarving. A number of houses in the Village had magnificent totem poles in front demonstrating this.

The All-Union Art Museum also had an extensive collection of Haida work.