Hlk’yah GawGa (Windy Bay)

  • Hlk’yah GawGa (Windy Bay)
  • British Columbia

We travelled to Hlk’yah GawGa (Windy Bay). This is one of the sites where Haida gathered to protest logging in 1985. We were so grateful to the Haida Watchmen for welcoming us to Hlk’yah GawGa. We visited the Legacy Pole, an incredible totem pole raised in 2013 in honour of the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Haida Nation and the Canadian government to protect Haida Gwaii. We then went on a hike through the magnificent old growth forest, where we saw a sitka spruce tree that is estimated to be between 800 and 900 years old. In the evening, we returned to the ship for dinner. Sadly, we said goodbye to our participant Guujaaw, who shared so much knowledge with us about Haida Gwaii and his experience in activism. Later on, we gathered for a somber Sisters in Spirit vigil in honour of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Our day was fill with learning and appreciation for the stunning environment of Haida Gwaii.