At SGang Gwaay Llnagaay (Ninstints), Haida Gwaii, in Gwaii Haanas National Park, a Watchman takes our small group of visitors around the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and shares insight into how the village came to be named Ninstints, the name of the Haida chief that traders enjoyed doing business with most. My video dispatch shows the remains of his massive house and some of the magnificent 26 last standing poles at SGang Gwaay Llnagaay.
Aside from their rich build heritage and artistic traditions, Haida people were tall, strong warriors who lived well, thanks to a bountiful diet provided by the seas intertidal resources.
We also learn in this dispatch how Haida society was founded on principles of matriarchy. We discover how these were weakened during past centuries of trade with Europe, which tended to favour more male dominated negotiations. We also learn how matriarchy has enjoyed a resurgence in more recent times, which has lead to healthier governance within Haida communities, and to more prosperous development practices on social, economic and environmental fronts.
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