The Current - What a historic land agreement means for Haida Gwaii

Episode Date: February 18, 2025

The federal government has recognized the Haida Nation's Aboriginal title over the islands of Haida Gwaii. Matt Galloway visited the archipelago off the coast of B.C. last year, and spoke with three generations of a Haida family who have fought to protect their land and culture. 

1942, Europe. Soldiers find a boy surviving alone in the woods. They make him a member of Hitler's army. But what no one would know for decades, he was Jewish. Could a story so unbelievable be true? I'm Dan Goldberg. I'm from CBC's personally, Toy Soldier. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. Hello, it's Matt here. Thanks for listening to The Current wherever you're getting this podcast.

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Hi, DeGuy was one of my first trips as liberal leader And I can't think of any place more appropriate for what am I very last? The Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was emotional yesterday in visiting Haida Gwaii, the archipelago on the coast of British Columbia for a ceremony to give the Haida people control over their land. The Haida First Nation will now have full title over Haida Gwaii. Last August, I had the chance to travel to Haida Gwaii to hear firsthand about the importance of this historic agreement. here is that story.

There's thousands of healthy pink salmon in this river right in front of me, right where it connects to the ocean. They're all just swimming around, starting their trip up the river to spawn. Ethan Colpitts is on a beach on Moresby Island on Haida Gwaii. You can see the fish shimmering below the surface. And there are fins sticking out of the water, too. And the fish are jumping. Yeah, it's a hell of a sight.

Never seen anything quite like it. He pulls out his fishing rod and casts into the river. Got a bunch coming in now. It doesn't take long to catch one. Isn't there a saying, something about fish in a barrel? There's one. Try to tie him out a little bit and get him into the net. The hook pops out of the fish's mouth just as he's bringing it to shore.

That makes it easy. Makes it easy because he was going to throw it back anyway. Won't forget this ever, seeing all these salmon and the black bears and everything about this place is super cool, truly magical. I have been in Haida Gwaii, a group of islands off the north coast of British Columbia, for less than an hour and already that word is being used, magic. So many people who live here or have visited here say the same thing and you see that magic as soon as you arrive. The fog lingering over the small islands.

The 300-year-old cedar and spruce trees. The bald eagles gliding overhead. I'm here on Haida Gwaii to talk to people about an historic land agreement. Earlier this year, the BC government officially recognized the Haida Nation's aboriginal title over the islands of Haida Gwaii. It's a right that the Haidas say they never gave up. Governments are just finally coming around to acknowledging it. This is a campaign that has been going on for decades.

A campaign that's mostly been waged in the woods. And that is where we start today. In an old growth forest just outside of massive Haida Gwaii. I'm Matt Galloway, and you're listening to The Current. Up to this park here and walk up. Okay. Let's go for a hike. Just off the highway is a gravel road.

It leads straight up a hill to a cell phone tower and a gravel pit. Hearing me huffing and puffing. It is a steep hill. The road is relatively new, but the woods surrounding us have been used by generations of highland. How far up are we? Very far.

We'll get there when we get there. My guide is Jalan Edenshaw. He and his daughter, Hana, are taking us to look for an ancient canoe deep in the forest. What's special about it is when Goudge and them were first trying to get areas protected. This canoe was one of the first spots where they were able to stop the logging. You'll see it's sort of logged around it. Goudge is Goudgeau, Jalin's dad, an elder and hereditary chief who's one of the people that's been working to protect this land for decades.

When Guj found the canoe, he is able to get an injunction to stop the logging. This isn't it, is it? I think this is a bit too high. Let's be clear, finding it isn't easy. The road goes in and then it splits into two. I remember. Even Jalen missed the trail off the main road the first time. We circle back and it's Hana who leads the way.

Is this it? Yup. The trail in the woods starts nicely enough, but it does not take long before we are quite literally bushwhacking. Pushing through thick shrubs climbing over fallen trees covered in moss. You okay back there Matt? Yes I am, thank you. Slight detour into the woods.

I can report from some experience that falling isn't so bad because it's into a thick bed of moss. How old would these trees be? Probably three, four hundred years here. Some of the bigger ones maybe five hundred. The air is cooler and the sunshine filters through the giant cedars like splinters. You can see on this side here everything's been logged on this side and then over here it's old growth forest and that all was protected because of the canoe we're gonna go see.

There's a clearing and Jalin stops next to what looks like a tree that has fallen in the woods. It's on a 45 degree angle covered in moss. So here's the canoe right here. You can see the stump there where it was cut. This is where it fell and then there's the front of it. You can see sort of the shape of it started there and then once that was done they could steam it and probably get it open another foot started there. And then once that was done, they could steam it and probably get it open another foot or so. And this would be from how long ago? If I had to guess, I'd say the 1860s. And that's when the smallpox hit

and most of the canoes come from that time. You were saying as we were coming in that, I mean, this area was slated to be completely locked? In those days you know if they saw a canoe like this they'd either just move it off site or they'd fall the trees away and then just leave it but then once it's open it would you know degrade pretty quick so Gujiao and Captain Gold and the leadership from that day when they found this canoe they they actually got an injunction against logging companies and were able to stop it and that injunction

has never been overturned. You know this was sort of one of the first cases where they were able to protect an area because of our ancient sites here. You know the title agreement is you know it's amazing step forward but you know the leadership over the years like it's already law, BC law, to protect these areas and that's based on the work that we did to make that happen. But yeah, going forward, we make the rules and make sure that people abide by them. From your perspective, I mean, personally, but also for the hideout, why is it important to know about these sites?

You know, like things are gonna be different now in this new landscape of government recognizing Haida title, but you know, up until now, we've had to use our culture and things like this old canoe and the monumental cedar and the medicinal plants to protect these areas. And the argument being that we need these things to exist as a people. And it's true, right?

Our culture, who we are, comes from Haida Gwaii, from the land. So this is exactly who we are right here. We stand for a minute, taking in the silence of the forest and try to imagine what it would have taken more than a century ago to fell this tree, carve it into a canoe and then carry it out through the forest and down to the water. In our Haida stories it was the Super Naturals that showed us how to make the canoe and when they were doing it the one guy would go up into the bush he would hear hear the Supernatural working working on it all night and then go up and look and it

would be made in different stages and that's how we re-learned to make it is by coming up into the bush and seeing these canoes in different stages and so that's what my dad told me is that's how they learnt, you know it all ties together. There's so much to learn from from being here just like hearing that story I was thinking about how like if Goudge wasn't like out here and exploring in the bush and found this then you know like none of this would be here for him to take you into or you to take me into and just like as long as we're on the land, you know, like making use of it, it'll be there for us. I feel really lucky. How's our time? Just about four, 10 to four, five to four.

Good. So you got a text from good saying on his way. So he's probably another hour. Okay. I'm Dina Temple Rest, the host of the Click Here podcast from Recorded Future News. Twice a week, we tell true stories about the people making and breaking our digital world. And these days, our digital world is being overrun by hackers. I was just targeted by a nation state. And they range from reflective. It's a crime, bro. And I live with that every day.

To ruthless. Do you feel guilty about it? No, not really. Click here for a recorded future news. You can find us wherever you get your podcasts. Gujiao is on his way from Skittaget to meet us at Jalan's Carving Shed so we can talk to three generations of this family all at once. Hi.

How are you? Holy smokes, they sent the rail. Matt. Matt. Good job. Nice to meet you. Good job seated next to a massive piece of cedar. Animals and faces are taking shape. He commissioned his sons to carve this totem pole. The raising ceremony is in October.

Just let them carve while you're talking. Jolin still has lots of work to do, so he immediately slides underneath the pole and continues the work of carving out the face of one of three watchmen. I start by asking Gujiao about his activism in the past and how that relates to the land title agreement that's just been signed. You know, like there's no sense having rights to fish if there's no fish, or right to a culture if there's no

cedar and no land to relate to and so they both work together. And so that designation from the government, what does that mean to you? The fact that the government has said the Haida have title? No, that is not a designation, that's a recognition. The title doesn't come from them. It doesn't come from the Crown, doesn't come from the Court. It comes from our ancestry. They're recognizing inherent title. What does that mean?

What we have right now is we have, you know, we have a transition period, but basically the land is going back into the hands of the people who love it the most. You know, after a hundred years of abuse of the forest, of the salmon, halibut, everything that they've managed has been treated with disdain. Did you ever imagine that you would get to this moment? I mean, there's been court battles that are still continuing, but that the adversarial kind of fight might be won. Oh, I knew I'd win. You knew you'd win. Yeah. We did a lot of things with other governments. You know, we won a lot of court cases, we won a lot of stands, we did a lot of things that led to this moment, but it, you know, wasn't

automatic, it wasn't gonna come freely. But in the end, you know, really there is not much other choice. What do you mean there wasn't much other choice? They couldn't beat us You know, I think the feeling around the island is You know, there's a Certain edge off, you know, there's still still a lot of things to do For instance, you know all around the world similar things are happening

economies are built by spoiling the earth. You know, like we have tide rising here, we have climate changing, the land's drying out. And so it's a global fight, it's not just here, you know, there's no sitting back and saying, okay, we're okay, and trying to enjoy being the last one standing or something. It's a fight that involves everybody. It should be. And the fight is against systems that have developed that are just spoiling the earth. When you think about it, what is your vision for what Haida Gwaii could be? Now that part of the fight is over. Well, in vision, I think we got to recognize that the most valuable thing we have here is nature. And from the nature here,

and from the nature here, that's where we get our culture. And so the future has got to allow for the next generations to enjoy nature and culture. Does it make you, I mean, when you hear that next generation that's here, that's picking up in some ways what you've been doing, how does that make you feel? Well, it's's good that's the way it's supposed to be. If these guys didn't know how to fish and they didn't know how to carve and they didn't know how to sing, well they don't have to be able to be good at singing. But if they, you know, then we, my generation would have failed them.

We're standing in front of, I'm standing in front of, you're sitting in front of this pole that's being carved. Well, what does this mean that this is happening for you? My job here is to come and make sure they're not making any major mistakes or anything. Gentle criticism. certainly a gentle criticism but yeah it's gonna be a nice poll to be a nice event and the event is a celebration of culture that's when the masks and things come out that's when people are singing and putting on all their best stuff that their families have made for them or they made for themselves and that is the key to keeping a culture going.

I want to talk to your son who's like on the floor in the midst of this carving. In speaking with your dad about what the title recognition has meant to him and to the community, as somebody who grew up watching his work, what was that like? Yeah, I remember as a little kid, you know, watching Goudge editing papers and changing Queen Charlotte Island, crossing it out and writing Haida Gwaii.

And then 10 or so years ago, you know, having Haida Gwaii again recognized and we gave back the name Queen Charlotte to the government. Because of his work. Because of his work and other leaders. You know, there's been a lot and I've been lucky to sort of grow up around some of those leaders, you know, just hanging out in the meetings or mostly just waiting outside as he's in a meeting. But it's a unique experience to see that. Tell us what you're carving. What is this that we're in front of?

Well, me and my brother, Guai, are carving a pole for our dad, Gujo. And it's just about done. We're closing in on it. That's no small amount of pressure. I mean, it's a special client to be working for. Yeah. And he was sort of our first teacher in the art and he's a carver himself.

So he has a lot of input, which can be tricky sometimes. You're being diplomatic because he's sitting right there. He's sitting right there. You took us out into the bush to see a canoe that had been left there. And you took us out with your daughter, Hana. What do you see in terms of that potential of the next generation? This feels like a special time. It is a real special time.

And it's a time when the energy that has been going to fighting a lot of these things over the last, you know, 50 years, 100 years can turn to creating and building on our people's strength. And, you know, I think that's what my parents' generation will leave, you know, to their grandchildren. You know, it's a time where they can put that same energy into strengthening our culture. Do you see that now in Hana? Oh yeah, she's been fighting since she was quite

young and she's definitely not shy to get involved in those battles. Interestingly, she's definitely been focused sort of outside the Haida fight a little bit, but is involved with climate change battles and stuff. And I think that's something that we all got to be concerned with. Knowing what you know about the fights that your grandfather was involved in and the moment that the Haida are in now. How do you see the work that he did? I see the work that Goj did and the work that leaders of sort of his generation did to bring us to this point where we are today as like some of the most important influential thing and like my

upbringing and how I was able to be raised how my siblings and people in my generation were able to be raised so yeah I see that work as just integral into shaping this island as it as it is today and as I've come to live in it. How do you think it shaped you? My dad and my, and Gujja, they always say like that this island doesn't belong to us. It's like we belong to this island. My mom, she's a Haida language professor. She's finishing getting her PhD and my dad's a carver so it's like practicing the culture

is always being like on the forefront of my parents' minds and so my mind growing up. My dad's like, my whole life really encouraged me to learn Haida stories. When I was little, he would take me to elders' houses and he would tape record them as they told him stories. She'd hide under the table and eat the sugar out of the... That I would listen to.

I would do both. You're talented. Yeah, I think those stories are some of the most interesting and most worthwhile things I've ever heard. I go to potlatches, I see people dancing, and people dedicated so much of their lives to retaining, learning, passing on that knowledge. It just feels like not necessarily like an obligation, but like a privilege to pass that forward. Your dad said something interesting in that, I mean, now that that energy from the fight doesn't need to be directed towards the fight, it can be directed towards something else. And Guja talked about that as well, that it can be sent towards something building and that's the next phase of it. What do you see as your vision for this place?

That's a really good question. I think growing up the way I sort of heard, sort of connected people like practicing our culture to a fight because it's something Canada is trying to, was trying to prevent us being on our land, us practicing our culture. I'm really excited for you know for like my generation and future generations for that not to be a fight, for that just to be like living. What do you think your role is in this? I mean you're now going to school at UBC. Are you going to come back here? Yeah, absolutely.

I want to come back here. I think there's a lot of hope and a lot of excitement. I'm not really sure what it's going to look like, but I want to be around to kind of witness a really historic moment. Gujai, you must be proud of her. When you hear that, I mean, what goes through your mind? Well, you look at an honest generation,

seeing the climate issues for one thing, like it's nothing certain anymore to provide. Any degree of certainty is going to be helpful. And hopefully, we'll set an example without any degree of certainty is going to be helpful. And you know, hopefully we'll set an example that will start to resonate across the country and around the world, you know, that protecting land and looking after the earth is

a good thing to do. I mean, it's nice to see it healing and to work with it and to build it back up and to take this win and enjoy the moment, but we don't expect that that's the end of our fight with big oil or all these things that we've had to deal with already. We got to deal with it as it comes. And again, not just me or my family, but all the families here, the other families who live on this island that worked with us to protect land, they've, you know, talk about the ones who aren't Hyda, they've stood with us, because as

they're living here they come to rely on the land. A lot of them have relatives buried here now and it starts to become more a part of them and they feel some obligation to look after it. Really in my lifetime from having no influence to, you know, having almost full responsibility for what's going to occur next. And so that is, you know, a tough position but a good position to be in. It's really great to talk to you. A pleasure and an honor to meet you here, especially while this work is going on with these three generations kind of together. Thank you. Yeah, thank you for coming all the way out here to do this. You also were really good in doing an interview while you're carving the wands and

multitasking. I hope you didn't wreck it well yet. I was going to say, blame me, blame the CBC for that. Gujjal is a Haida hereditary chief and negotiator. Jalan Edenshaw is a carver. Hana Edenshaw is a UBC student and climate change activist. I spoke with all three generations of that family on Masset, on Haida Gwaii, a group of islands on the northern coast of British Columbia. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca slash podcasts.