Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve

World renowned for its ancient Haida villages dotted with totem poles, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve encompasses the southern half of Moresby Island as well as 137 smaller islands in the south of the archipelago—a total of 1,480 hectares (3,660 acres) of land and 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) of coastline.

It’s a remarkable place. Ancient brooding totems and remnants of mighty Haida longhouses stand against a backdrop of lush wilderness—dense trees, thick spongy moss, and rock-strewn beaches with incredibly clear water. Colonies of nesting seabirds and an abundance of marinelife—killer and minke whales, sea lions, tufted puffins—all add to the atmosphere.

Jointly managed by Parks Canada and the Haida nation, the park protects the homeland of seafaring Haida. The Haida inhabited this area for almost 10,000 years, but by the early 1900s, less than 100 years after their first contact with Europeans, their communities were abandoned, the inhabitants having been wiped out by disease or having moved to Old Massett [1] and Skidegate [2].

Nan Sdins (Ninstints) on tiny SGaang Gwaii (Anthony Island) near the south end of the park, was once home to around 300 Haida and had been occupied for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. Today, a string of weathered totem poles stretch along the shoreline, with the nearby ruins of cedar longhouses slowly being consumed by the surrounding rainforest.

Anthony Island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, just 97 years after the last Haida families had abandoned their remote home. Gandle K’in (Hotspring Island), the site of another abandoned village, has the bonus of oceanfront hot pools that held special healing and spiritual qualities to the Haida.

For general park information, click through the links on the Parks Canada website (www.pc.gc.ca [3]). To contact the local park office, call 250/559-8818.