Various Imperial and colonial actions against Haida Gwaii Authorities have been undertaken since the 19th century. The indigenous peoples of

Haida Gwaii Haida Gwaii (; hai, X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay / , literally "Islands of the Haida people") is an archipelago located between off the northern Pacific coast of Canada. The islands are separated from the mainland to the east by the shallow Hecat ...

often reacted violently to European and American ships which trespassed in their waters and lands. From the 18th to 19th centuries, various skirmishes took place between Haida authorities and European and American merchantmen and warships. Canadian settlers did not arrive on Haida Gwaii islands until 1900, and many Canadian colonial police actions attempted to assault the Haida Gwaii authorities and citizens. The indigenous Haida population was decimated by diseases such as smallpox which were introduced by agents of the British authorities based in Fort Victoria. A hostile Colonial presence directed and condoned aggression which along with the continued use of disease meant that the numbers of Haida citizens was reduced from tens of thousands to 588 by 1915. This erosion of Haida cultural institutions was essential to open the way for subsequent British and Canadian incursions and jurisdictional claims.

Background

Haida Gwaii

An archipelago of more than 100 islands located outside the territorial waters of Canada and comprising the largest land mass of the territories of the Haida Indigenous Peoples. These territories also extend up into what is now known as the Alaskan panhandle.

Cumshewa Haida

Cumshewa Cumshewa, also Go'mshewah, Cummashawa, Cummashawaas, Cumchewas, Gumshewa was an important hereditary leader of the Haida people of Haida Gwaii on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. His name is believed to be of either Kwak'wala or Heilt ...

is an important hereditary leader of the

Haida people Haida (, hai, X̱aayda, , , ) are an indigenous group who have traditionally occupied , an archipelago just off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, for at least 12,500 years. The Haida are known for their craftsmanship, trading skills, and ...

on the

North Coast of British Columbia North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

, Canada. As of December 2, 2021 Gitkinjuaas Ronald Wilson of St'awaas X̲aaydaG̲aay holds authority over this title. His name is believed to be of either Kwak'wala or

Heiltsuk The Heiltsuk or Haíɫzaqv , sometimes historically referred to as ''Bella Bella'', are an Indigenous people of the Central Coast region in British Columbia, centred on the island community of Bella Bella. The government of the Heiltsuk people ...

(Bella Bella) origin, meaning "rich at the mouth of the river". He is mentioned by Captain George Dixon who traded with him in 1787. In 1794 Cumshewa and his warriors killed the crew of the American vessel ''

Resolution Resolution(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Resolution (debate), the statement which is debated in policy debate * Resolution (law), a written motion adopted by a deliberative body * New Year's resolution, a commitment that an individual mak ...

''. Cumshewa is commemorated on the map of the archipelago by

Cumshewa Inlet Cumshewa Inlet (), also recorded or referred to in exploration logs as Cumchewas Harbour and Tooscondolth Sound, is a large inlet on the east coast of Moresby Island in the Haida Gwaii islands of the North Coast of British Columbia. The inlet was t ...

, Cumshewa Mountain,

Cumshewa Head Cumshewa, also Go'mshewah, Cummashawa, Cummashawaas, Cumchewas, Gumshewa was an important hereditary leader of the Haida people of Haida Gwaii on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. His name is believed to be of either Kwak'wala or Heilts ...

(a point),

Cumshewa Island Cumshewa, also Go'mshewah, Cummashawa, Cummashawaas, Cumchewas, Gumshewa was an important hereditary leader of the Haida people of Haida Gwaii on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. His name is believed to be of either Kwak'wala or Heilts ...

, the Cumshewa Rocks and the modern First Nations locality of

. In Haida language the name Gitkinjuaas is shared with the easternmost mountain on the north shore at the mouth of Cumshewa Inlet. The name translates "Mountain Person of High Standing"

Kaigani Haida

The

Kaigani Haida Haida (, hai, X̱aayda, , , ) are an indigenous group who have traditionally occupied , an archipelago just off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, for at least 12,500 years. The Haida are known for their craftsmanship, trading skills, and ...

live in Haida territories lying north of the Canadian and US border which cuts through the

Dixon Entrance The Dixon Entrance (french: Entrée Dixon) is a strait about long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the Canada–United States border, between the U.S. state of Alaska and the province of British Columbia in Canada. The Dixon Entrance is part o ...

on Prince of Wales Island ( tli, Taan) in

Southeast Alaska Southeast Alaska, colloquially referred to as the Alaska(n) Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, bordered to the east and north by the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia (and a small part ...

, United States. This region is part of the historical territories of the Haida Nation.

Kunghit Haida

The people of SG̱ang Gwaay llnagaay are sometimes referred to as the Kunghit Haida, now known as

Ninstints SG̱ang Gwaay Llanagaay ("Red Cod Island"), commonly known by its English name Ninstints, is a village site of the Haida people and part of the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site on Haida Gwaii on the North Coast of Bri ...

. The Kunghit Haida occupied the southern portion of the archipelago of Haida Gwaii, with territory stretching from

Lyell Island Lyell Island, known also in the Haida language as Athlii Gwaii,Pacofi Bay Lodge Tour 2
is a lar ...

to the farthest southern tip of the archipelago. They had approximately two dozen permanent villages, as well as numerous other smaller seasonal settlements located near major resource areas. SG̱ang Gwaay Llanagaay was the location of several notable episodes in the early history of European contact and trade with the Haida. At the outset of the

maritime fur trade The maritime fur trade was a ship-based fur trade system that focused on acquiring furs of sea otters and other animals from the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and natives of Alaska. The furs were mostly sold in China in ex ...

, the village was visited in 1787 by George Dixon, who noted the Haidas who met them at sea were eager to trade with

sea otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...

fur. This marked the initially amicable trade relations, where SG̱ang Gwaay Llanagaay was visited once again in 1788 by

Charles Duncan Charles Duncan may refer to: Politics and law * Charles T. Duncan (1838–1915), American lawyer and Virginia state judge * Charles Duncan (politician) Charles Duncan (8 June 1865 – 6 July 1933) was a British Labour Party politician and t ...

, and twice in 1789 – first by Robert Gray then by his partner John Kendrick later that year, at which point the trade relationship turned hostile.

Skidegate Haida

Skidegate is a Haida community in (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. It is located on the southeast coast of

Graham Island Graham Island () is the largest island in the Haida Gwaii archipelago (previously known as the Queen Charlotte Islands), lying off the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is separated by the narrow Skidegate Channel from the other pr ...

some 30 miles off the mainland coast of Canada.

Masset Haida

Haida historian Henry Geddes shares that the name Massett was a gift exchange between Captain and Crew of a Spanish ship rescued and repaired by the leadership of the Haida villages which now comprise the village of Massett. This event preceded the arrival of British vessels. Captain Douglas, on his second visit from

Nootka Sound , image = Morning on Nootka Sound.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Clouds over Nootka Sound , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Map of Nootka So ...

aboard the ''Iphigenia'' on June 19, 1789, named the bay leading to the inlet ''McIntyre's Bay''. This name was used on the charts of Dixon and Meares. The American traders called the inlet, ''Hancock's River'' as shown in Ingraham's chart of 1792 after the American brig ''Hancock''. In 1853 H.N. Knox of the Royal Navy, mate on , did a sketch survey of the harbour when the name Masset was adopted by the British. A survey was made in 1907 by Captain Learmouth on ''HMS Egeria''. Massett is a contemporary conglomerate of 4 historically separate communities "Gad Gaayiwaas, Iit'aaw, Tsajughl" and "Kaayang".

Incidents of Haida and foreign naval conflicts

A list of some of the incidents of violence between the Haida and European adventurers took place with Europeans following the first initial peaceful encounters between Haida and Spanish. There are no notes of any conflict between Spanish and Haida.

Bibliography

Notes References * - Total pages: 300 * - Total pages: 206 * * - Total pages: 180 * - Total pages: 60 * - Total pages: 256 * - Total pages: 269 * - Total pages: 500 *{{cite book, last=Walbran, first=John T. , title = British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: To which are Added a Few Names in Adjacent United States Territory, Their Origin and History: with Map and Illustrations, year=2014, publisher = Canadian Government Printing Bureau, isbn=9780659098627 - Total pages: 570 Canadian gold rushes British Columbia gold rushes Pre-Confederation British Columbia Haida Gwaii Haida