Haida Gwaii

Our cruising destination for summer 2016 is Haida Gwaii, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, named by Captain George Dixon in 1787 in honor of his ship.  Haida Gwaii consists of two main islands, Graham Island and Moresby Island along with approximately 150 smaller islands located 95 nautical miles off the coast of British Columbia, from Prince Rupert.  American fur traders frequented the islands in the days of the marine fur trade and considered the islands part of the Oregon Country.  Today these islands are part of the Province of British Columbia, Canada.  

Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)

The southern portion of Haida Gwaii is made up of several provincial parks, Gwaii Haanas National Park and Haida Heritage Site.  At the time of colonial contact, roughly 20,000 people resided in several villages.  It is estimated that during the 1800’s, ninety percent of the population died from smallpox.  

Gwaii Haanas National Park

By the late 1800's there were fewer than 600 Haida left.  Most who survived left their homes for the villages of Skidegate and Masset or for cannery towns on the mainland or Vancouver Island.  Today approximately 4,500 people live on Haida Gwaii, primarily at Queen Charlotte City, Skidegate, and Massett.  It is unclear how the Haida first arrived at the islands, but archaeologists have confirmed the civilization dates as far back as 12,500 years ago. 

Natives still use the older name for Haida Gwaii (Islands of the People), “Xaadala Gwayee” or “Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai” meaning “Islands at the boundary of the world.”