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Maria Winkler and David Komar visited Haida Gwaii, B.C., Canada for a week in July: Haida
Gwaii, also once known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, is an archipelago of 150 islands off British Colum-
bia’s west coast, in Canada. Wildlife-rich Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Sites
includes remote islands and temperate rainforest. Haida Gwaii is the ancestral territory of the Haida Na-
tion. It has old growth rain forests and animal life (the area is nicknamed Canada’s Galapagos), and home to
more than 500 archeological sites. Centuries-old totem poles stand in the remains of the Haida Nation vil-
lages. Sitka deer feed on the grassy clearings, and eagles can be seen flying overhead in spring and summer.
The rocky and sand beaches have agates, carnelians, and shells. We met many Haida people, ate their food,
picked fresh salmon berries and red huckleberries along the beaches, and hiked through old growth forests.

Haida Master Carvers at work: father and son. Totem This is how a totem pole is turned so
poles can be up to 100 feet high, cut from one monu- it can be carved in the round. One or
mental old growth cedar tree. We visited a number of both ends are attached to a large
workshops and watched master carvers at work. wooden disc so it can be turned as
needed.

David and Maria standing in front of a newly
Marni, our Haida guide, standing replaced totem pole that is 52 feet high, modest
The famous Balance Rock. in front of a Haida sculpture. in height.

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