History Haida people

houses , totem poles,, 1878

the haida known craftsmanship, trading skills, , seamanship. thought have been warlike , practise slavery. canadian museum of civilization anthropologist diamond jenness has compared tribe vikings.

oral histories , archaeological evidence indicate haida have occupied haida gwaii more 17,000 years. in time have established intimate connection islands lands , oceans, established highly structured societies, , constructed many villages. haida have occupied present-day southern alaska more last 200 years, modern group having emigrated haida gwaii in 18th century.

the haida conducted regular trade russian, spanish, british, , american fur traders , whalers. according sailing records, diligently maintained strong trade relationships westerners, coastal people, , among themselves.

like other groups on northwest coast, haida defended fortifications, including palisades, trapdoors , platforms. took water in large ocean-going canoes, big enough accommodate many 60 paddlers, each created single western red cedar tree. aggressive tribe particularly feared in sea battles, although did respect rules of engagement in conflicts. haida developed effective weapons boat-based battle, including special system of stone rings weighing 18 23 kg (40 51 lb) destroy enemy s dugout canoe , reused after attacker pulled attached cedar bark rope. haida took captives defeated enemies. between 1780 , 1830, haida turned aggression towards european , american traders. among half-dozen ships tribe captured eleanor , susan sturgis. tribe made use of weapons acquired, using cannons , canoe-mounted swivel guns.

haida drummers , singers greet guests on shores of Ḵay linagaay, thousands-of-years-old village in haida gwaii.

in 1856, expedition in search of route across vancouver island @ mouth of qualicum river when observed large fleet of haida canoes approaching , hid in forest. observed these attackers holding human heads. when explorers reached mouth of river, came upon charred remains of village of qualicum people , mutilated bodies of inhabitants, 1 survivor, elderly woman, hiding terrified inside tree stump.

also in 1857, uss massachusetts sent seattle nearby port gamble, indigenous raiding parties made of haida (from territory claimed british) , tongass (from territory claimed russians) had been attacking , enslaving coast salish people there. when haida , tongass (sea lion tribe tlingit) warriors refused acknowledge american jurisdiction , hand on among them had attacked puget sound communities, battle ensued in 26 natives , 1 government soldier killed. in aftermath of this, colonel isaac ebey, military officer , first settler on whidbey island, shot , beheaded on 11 august 1857 small tlingit group kake, alaska, in retaliation killing of respected kake chief in raid year before. ebey s scalp purchased kake american trader in 1860. introduction of smallpox among haida @ victoria in march 1862 reduced sovereignty on traditional territories, , opened doorway colonial power. many 9 in ten haidas died of smallpox,and many villages depopulated.

model of house of contentment, late 19th century, brooklyn museum

in 1885 haida potlatch (haida: waahlgahl) outlawed under potlatch ban. elimination of potlatch system destroyed financial relationships , interrupted cultural heritage of coastal people.

the haida created notions of wealth , , jenness credits them introduction of totem pole (haida: ǥyaagang) , bentwood box. missionaries regarded carved poles graven images rather intimate representations of family histories wove haida society together. chiefly families showed histories erecting totems outside homes, or on house posts forming building. social organization matrilineal. islands christianized, many cultural works such totem posts destroyed or taken museums around world. undermined haida self-knowledge , further diminished morale.

the government began forcibly sending haida children residential schools 1911. haida children sent far away alberta live among english-speaking families assimilated dominant culture.