Thom Henley, known for co-founding Rediscovery and his key role in the 14-year mission to establish Gwaii Haanas, says begrudgingly that the system works if grassroots groups are willing to make it work. Ask yourself if your own life hasnt become more enriched through your association with the program. I'm wondering how to go about booking a day tour with Andrew, and what the cost would be. The film offers educators innovative teaching methods and will stimulate discussion about the natural world and indigenous culture.Located at the north-west tip of the Haida Gwaii, on a long sandy beach (TAALAN STLANG), is the most isolated youth camp in the world. She points to a number of activities that support the growth of the teens and pre-teens who attend the camps each year. Haida Gwaii, the misty islands, how dramatically they have changed over the last years! Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and. Thought I had found the website for this, but link wasn't working. Additionally, a total of 900 training days were provided to 23 people in the areas of stewardship and leadership. Between 2011 and 2015, Coast Conservation Endowment Fund approved funding for five separate projects totalling $280,000 towards the Haida Gwaii Youth Stewardship Program and culture camps at Laanaa DaaGang.nga (Swan Bay) and Taalan Stlang (Lepas Bay). Collaboration and respect for all living things. The program hires secondary and post-secondary students from Haida Gwaii and places them in a variety of stewardship positions, partnering with businesses and organizations on the Islands. Haida Style offers programs and packages at Swan Bay Rediscovery, a Haida cultural camp in Gwaii Haanas that now operates a summer adult cultural immersion program. Step into the studios of acclaimed Haida artisans and . It was a real treat that I highly recommend. Kaay.yas (Elders) play a significant role in making that happen, and have done right from the first Rediscovery camp. Owned by twin brothers James and William Cowpar, this community-based cultural adventure and fishing expedition company on Haida Gwaii values community relationships. Colossal gravitational waves found for the first time. Haida values like yahguudanga (respect for everything) and gina waadluuxan gud ad kwagid (everything depends on everything else) ensured the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii were carefully stewarded and thus able to offer food, shelter, and medicine in return. Rediscovery Haida Gwaii is on Facebook. Language is also a big part of the camps, and the Haida language is used whenever possible. Growth of self-confidence is one of the most significant outcomes of the camps. We came away with a much deep appreciation . The Rediscovery Programwas founded in T'aalan STl'aangLeepas Bayon the North end of Graham Island, Haida Gwaii in the mid 1970s. In 2013, for example, the students worked with eight partner organizations over six weeks to complete 14 separate work projects. Xitwan Jadaa (Rosemary Hart) says that having the camps powered by solar energy provides an opportunity for youth to learn: Being off-grid, this will be a great opportunity to teach our youth about energy. They sit down and they journal, or draw, or whatever, and they do that by themselves. Each day they get further and further apart, she says, until they are ready to spend a night alone. Swan Bay Rediscovery Program is a summer cultural camp experience in Gwaii Haanas for Haida and other youth from all communities on Haida Gwaii and beyond. Quatsino Fisheries, Forestry, Lands and Natural Resources. She says the high school kids that she sent off two weeks prior were completely transformed. Program Disclaimer although there is no minimum participant registration, we do reserve the right to cancel a camp due to significantly low registration. Haida Elders play a key role in sharing knowledge of their culture and bring dignity and wisdom to the program. Read our Privacy Policy. Regardless of type, Christian noted, each pole took months to create. Aug 2014 Friends. On Haida Gwaii, well over 2000 youth have attended the culture camps that now take place on the islands. And Rediscovery must always honour and celebrate our personal, community and cultural differences: if nothing else our diversity prevents us from becoming a cult. This is a great addition to any visitor's trip. Naajuuwa (Missy McDonald) says they have learned at Swan Bay Rediscovery that its best to offer the teen camps early and late in the season. Reading the tides, reading the skies, those are things they learn there because they have to move about by zodiac, she says. Get to the heart of Haida Gwaii with one of our in-depth, The coast of Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of British Columbia that has been inhabited by a people known as the Haida for as long as 13,000 years. These, too, are decorated with heraldry to honor the one being remembered. He treated us like family - it was a wonderful experience. Gas Station. A new pole to be carved, a story to be told of the residential schools, and a new era of hope, reconciliation, and forgiveness for all. INDIGENOUS BC APP: WELCOME TO INDIGENOUS BC! Haida Gwaii News. She says that with new staff each year, mistakes do get made, but views them as an opportunity to improve the procedures manual. Camp managers and advisors have worked to find the most effective ways of providing hands-on activities where youth can learn important cultural, stewardship, survival, health, physical, and social development skills. The controversial man behind the atomic bomb. Corporate Retreats and Team Building Overview. We learned about history, ecology, biology, geography and very important information about First Nations. agree I consent to receive email communications from IndigenousBC.com and agree to visit the privacy policy. Don't miss SGaang Gwaii. Both camps estimate the cost per attendee at approximately $2,500. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. Material goods could come and go, happily, without regret or attachment in the reciprocal gift exchange that was the potlatch. The information shared helped me better understand and appreciate the geography, botany, culture and geology of the area in a memorably way. Haida Style Expeditions is the first Haida-owned and -operated business in Gwaii Haanas in more than 25 years. Haida artist KaaGwaay (Gwaai Edenshaw)who attended the Rediscovery Camp as a young man, and has participated as a program facilitatorsays of the award, it is something that young people carry with them. We are a product of itwe are a part of it and we are connected to it. He is very knowledgeable and was able to give us not only the history but also interesting tidbits about the settlement of the islands and how people have changed their life style. We walk gently and encourage visitors to educate themselves on the Indigenous cultures in BC. We have kids who now have their biology degrees, have gotten scholarships, those are people from Swan Bay who were given that kind of support.. The big picture goal of the Youth Stewardship Program, wrote Taaw.ga Halaa Leeyga (May Russ) in 2011, is to engage and inspire the Islands youth to pursue an education and become the future of resource management on Haida Gwaii., The stewardship focus of the camps and the stewardship program has paid off, says Xiihliikingang (April Churchill). Andrew is the mayor of Masset, so he knows everybody! Did a few hours tour with Andrew. Henley is back in Haida Gwaii to talk about his autobiographical book, Raven Walks Around the World. Projects took place in a variety of sectors including forestry, non-timber forest products, fisheries, recreation, tourism, wildlife management, and cultural access. It draws on my experience in the field, particularly with Native youth in a community-based program called "Rediscovery." The Rediscovery program is discussed, along with concepts of traditional indigenous knowledge and education. The culture camps at Taalan Stlang andLaanaa DaaGang.ngacontribute to the economic well-being of Haida Gwaii in a number of ways. There were no shortcuts here, nor interest in them. Since 1978, over 2000 Haida and non-Haida youth have participated in culture camps at 'Laanaa DaaGang.nga (Swan Bay) and Taalan Stlang (Lepas Bay). Daily meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages. Its incredible how camouflaged they can be. The culture camps at Taalan Stlang (Lepas Bay) and Laanaa DaaGang.nga(Swan Bay) have a combined 53 years of providing cultural connection for youth. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It was born in recognition of the importance of connecting Haida youth with their culture by offering an opportunity for them to experience the lands, waters and traditions of their ancestors by way of a remote camp-based youth program. Are electric bikes the future of green transportation? Since that time, the Haida Rediscovery Camp has become a global model for cultural revitalization. In previous years, the camps received solar power through a partnership between Swiilawiid SustainabilitySociety, a local non-profit; Bullfrog Power; and a grant from Gwaii Trust Society. Christian reminded me that these songs and dances were the currency of the Haida. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy. People might be right next to them and dont even see them, one expert says. To a remarkable degree they have lived outside of the formal economy, relying instead on the sustainable resources of the landsalmon, halibut, venison, crabs, octopus, seaweed, herring roe, clams, sea urchins, berries, abalone, and cedar. Dive deep into living history with a guided visit to the renowned Heritage Centre and Museum, followed by a narrative village tour. The award-winning film was released in 1984, broadcast nationally on CBC TV and internationally in over 70 countries. Haida Style educates visitors about Haida perspectives on the environment. Each summer Haida and non-Haida youth travel to the north and south of Haida Gwaii to attend multi-day camps that aim to reconnect them with the values and culture of their ancestors. The bogs of Naikoon carried me past Port Clements, once home to the Golden Spruce and the White Raven, both long dead, destroyed by man. Government agencies, including the Ministry of Forests, which once supported 60 families in the village of Queen Charlotte alone, have indiscriminately shed employees. ReDiscovery serves as an inspiration to communities searching for renewal and cultural approaches to youth programs. We need to see these differences as healthy in our dealings with one another whether it be at a Council Fire circle with participants, a camp staff meeting or a formal gathering with the Council of Directors. We visited Old Masset and did the Golden Spruce Tour and wished we could have done another day with Andrew!!! I was on one of Andrew's tours to North Beach a while back. The program is overseen by Swan Bay Rediscovery Society, and managed by Xiihliikingang (April Churchill), former Vice President of the Council of the Haida Nation, and an accomplished Haida weaver. Participants at both Taalan Stlang and Swan Bay participate in the solo, which is followed the next evening by a celebration where youth vote to decide the recipient of theGuudang Xyuuwid (Stone Ribs) award. Heres how he lost the colonies. Is Andrew still giving tours? She refused to acknowledge who she was.. The Swan Bay culture camp occurs within Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. Andrew is engaging and has a great sense of humour, never a dull moment on this tour and we were fascinated each day by what we saw and learned about the area. Though the original cabin built by Thom Henly in 1974 no longer stands, there are now four bunkhouses and a cookhouse built in the Haida longhouse style. I think its $2,500 per student. But both camps are supported by the community, and the various levels of government on Haida Gwaii. In 1978, the Nation created the first Rediscovery camp, which served as a blueprint for 34 camps across the globe that unite young people with the cultural practices, values, and history of their ancestors. By marrying a white man she lost her legal status as a native person. She says there is also an emphasis on learning to navigate in the elements. From Michelin-starred menus to gilded historic sites, these restaurants are worth a visitwhether or not youre a tourist. Our food gathering and our knowledge is all passed down verbally. The camps provide a space where that knowledge transfer can take place. As the rain began to fall, we returned to the canoe house for a final blessing from Christian and his family, a glorious spread of salmon, herring roe, seaweed, and crab prepared for us with kindness and generosity by some of the most wonderful people I will ever have a chance to meet. The camps and the youth stewardship program (between 2011 and 2015) created three new permanent jobs and 19 seasonal positions, contributing over $150,000 to local, family-supporting salaries. Without a doubt, the Rediscovery Camps on Haida Gwaii are changing the way a new generation of Haida citizens and non-Haida residents of Haida Gwaii relate to themselves, each other, and the land and waters which sustain them. Xiihliikingang (April Churchill) has been developing a procedures manual for the camp at Laanaa DaaGang.nga (Swan Bay). But I can assure you there is nowhere in the 133 countries I have travelled where relations between people of different cultures is more harmonious and respectful. It might be said that it is our likenesses in sharing a common vision that brings the Rediscovery family together, but it is our differences that keeps us together. Guides share traditional knowledge of Haida history, harvesting, house building, and social structure with visitors and researchers in a way that focuses on the living Haida culture and long-term community building. That night is referred to in the Rediscovery lexicon as a solo., The intention of the solo is for youth to become independent and to overcome their personal challenges. The skills taught to youth help them thrive alone in the wilderness of Haida Gwaii. Responsible tourism shares history, stories, and culture in a way that sustains the land. award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert Their subject? Taaw.ga Halaa Leeyga (May Russ), hereditary leader of Maaman Gitanee and senior administrator for the Nation, connected with Coast Funds to use conservation finance to support the culture camps at Laanaa DaaGang.nga (Swan Bay) and Taalan Stlang (Lepas Bay). Going to Queen Charlotte islands in July.does anyone know what it cost for tour guide (Andrew ) for a day? Parks Canada website for Swan Bay Rediscovery Camp, Information on Duu Guusd Haida Heritage Site, Information on Lepas Bay Ecological Reserve, About Coast Funds economic and conservation funds, History of Great Bear Rainforest agreements, Information on the Haida Gwaii Watchmen Program, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, Partner with Coast Funds to build your stewardship finance >>, Kunstaa Guu/Kunstaayah Reconciliation Protocol, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, Hecate Strait Employment Development Society, Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre, Kunstaa GuuKunstaayah Moving to a Sustainable Future Together, Establishing the Great Bear Rainforest agreements, Postcard from Haida Gwaii: Where Sustainability Dates Back 13,000 Years, Three Haida Gwaii youth camps to go solar thanks to Bullfrog Power and Swiilawiid Sustainability Society partnership, Connecting with Culture: Outdoor Camps on Haida Gwaii, Youth stewardship program wrapping up for summer, Rediscovery: Ancient Pathways, New Directions, Gwaii Haanas Report: Youth stewards visit Hlkyah GawGa / Windy Bay. The building will provide a space where Kaay.yas (Elders) can rest throughout the day, have easy access to bathroom facilities, and have some privacy away from the energy of camp activities. We came away with a much deep appreciation for these beautiful and unspoiled islands and the people who live there. 2023 Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures company. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. Youth at both camps participate in taking care of their camp space. The multinational timber companies that once dominated the economy and dictated public policy on this archipelago that sitsoff the coast of British Columbiaare gone. Located on Haida Gwaii, on the Northwest coast of British Columbia the Swan Bay Rediscovery Program is a cultural camp where youth learn about Haida cultural skills and knowledge while acquiring new life skills, self-esteem and confidence. It took 25 years for her to return. Submitted by Haida Gwaii Rediscovery-This is Haida Gwaii Rediscovery writing all islands' residents about our 30th anniversary this year. Subscribe, Like, Comment and Share please help others discover this video. Taalan Stlang is a crescent-shaped beach of white sand in the Duu Guusd Haida Heritage Site, along the northwest coast of Haida Gwaii. The number-one attraction here is remote Gwaii Haanas National Park, which makes up the bottom third of the archipelago. Tour operators Licensed operators offer a variety of expeditions, tours and transportation options. To discover a philosophy of respect and love for Nature; for Each Other; and for Ourselves ! The camps are a place free of distraction where young people gain a set of skills, based in Haida values, that will support them throughout their lives. Jim Hart and his crew are doing the cannucks carvings. Between 2011 and 2015, the camps and youth stewardship program that received support from Coast Funds were able to leverage $1.30 for every $1.00 from Coast Funds. The northern part of Haida Gwaii is home to a number of fishing lodges, many who contribute fish for camp activities like teaching cultural preparations of the fish. She talks about how to sustain things. A key lesson is only taking as much as you need. We offer a variety of captivating and hands-on programs ranging from guided forest and shoreline walks, to presentations and interactive activities. Andrew our guide was the informative, friendly, helpful, considerate and extrememly knowledgeable about Haida Gwaii. Together they carved and raised one of the first totem poles to be erected after a roughly 100-year lapse in the sacred tradition. House poles, carved flat in the back to rest easily against the facade of the long house, feature the heraldic crests of the familyRaven, Eagle, Frog, Bearas an aristocratic European clan might display its coat of arms. James Cowpar and several guides at Haida Style have served the Haida Gwaii Watchman Program, a legendary nation-based model for upholding contemporary and traditional stewardship laws that has gained global attention. Swan Bay 2023 Season DATES July 12th - 19th: Pre-teen July 19th - 26th: Teen We learned about history, ecology, biology, geography and very important information about First Nations. Youth visit important cultural spaces like the triple mortuary pole at Kyuusda village, and village sites throughout Gwaii Haanas including century-old remains of multi-tiered longhouses dug into the earth atTaanuu Llnagaay(Tanu),Kuuna Llnagaay(Skedans),SGang Gwaay(Anthony Island),Gandll Kin Gwaay.yaay(Hotspring Island), andHlkyahGawGa(Windy Bay). Each had to be buried nine feet in the ground, in a bed of stones, as ancient tradition dictated. At each camp, knowledge transfer between Kaay.yas (Elders) and youth takes place, which has innumerable benefits including: cultural revitalization, language transfer, and protecting and documenting oral histories. It enhances self-esteem and confidence, and encourages positive social interaction between youth of many differing cultures. It was very fortunate that we had arranged a day's tour with Andrew! Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada, Watchman, Haida, First Nations. The indigenous Haida settlements date back more than 10,000 years and are among the oldest in North America. Why you should seek out vinsanto, Santorini's beloved sweet wine, Where to stay in Sacramento, California's food-loving capital, A self-guided campervanning safari through South Africa & Eswatini, The coast of Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of British Columbia that has been inhabited by a people known as the Haida for as long as 13,000 years. At both camps, beach cleanup is a frequent event, and participants remove invasive plant species from the surrounding landscape. Since 2005, the Council of the Haida Nation has also managed a Youth Stewardship Program, helping to grow the pool of skilled labour available for natural resource and stewardship jobs. Thanks! One of the biggest barriers to overcome when organizing the camps is cost. Nat Geo Explorer-in-ResidenceWade Davisis an anthropologist, writer, photographer, and filmmaker whose work has taken him all around the world. The Swan Bay Rediscovery Camp has been in operation since 2003, serving the communities at the south end of Haida Gwaii: Tll.aal (Tlell), HlGaagilda (Skidegate),Daajing Giids (Queen Charlotte), and Sandspit. Read our. The good which comes into the world from even one life changed for the better must never be underestimated. And they come into the community and they become leaders themselves and within their peer groups.. All rights reserved, Travel to Haida Gwaii with National Geographic Expeditions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Learn more at - https://www.rediscoveryhaidagwaii.comNoteworthy: The traditional cedar, dug-out canoe, shown at the beginning of the film, was carved by Bill Reid and donated to the ReDiscovery program. Imagine the memories! Destination BC uses "cookies" to enhance the usability of its websites and provide you with a more personal experience. She talks about interconnectivity between the plants, the people, and how we are all connected. "You're agreeing to abide by the Haida principle of yahguudang, taking only . Alysha Mattice, who attended the camp Taalan Stlang recalls camp activities fondly: [They] made me feel like I was taking initiative. It was here that Henley, with the permission of Old Massett Village Council, built a cabin that would become the first staff headquarters at a Haida culture camp that became known as Taalan Stlang Rediscovery Camp. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. (Photograph by Marc Cappelletti . Thom Henley says the camps are a global model for reconciliation. How many feet have felt the wind whip the waves of the Pacific and the silky sand of Taalan Stlang between their toes? Our 4 night - 5 day tour of Haida Gwaii was one of best trips I I ever been on. Follow his adventures on Twitter@authorwadedavis. First Nation communities on the Pacific coast of Canada, which inspired the first Rediscovery programs, are still undergoing the healing process from two centuries of forced enculturation and oppression. Each project was designed to provide a tangible benefit to the partner, but also to teach the students about education and stewardship career paths available on Haida Gwaii. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Our program is open to all youth around the world. Rediscovery staff, with the advice and guidance of Haida Elders, opened camp participants eyes to a renewed contact with the land and heritage around them. A century of hatred between conflicting racial, religious, cultural and political groups is not something which disappears overnight. Andrew our guide was the informative, friendly, helpful, considerate and extrememly knowledgeable about Haida Gwaii. Xiihliikingang (April Churchill) says the cost is a challenge, but support for the camps is so great that the communities find a way to make them happen each year. Road tripping across Michigans Upper Peninsula. As a member of the Raven moiety, and a descendant of the people of Skedans, she would have in the old days been betrothed in an arranged marriage to an Eagle, securing for her family a reciprocal bond in kinship and commerce. Haida Gwaii British Columbia. It was a completely different bunch of people. Haida Gwaii forms a dagger-shaped archipelago of some 450 islands lying 80km west of the BC coast, and offers a magical trip for those who make the effort. Lindas native name means the one who sits regally. To be with her really is to be with Haida royalty, and for this I am grateful. In 2017, during a tour of British Columbia, Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Haida Gwaii. Forty years ago, the Haida Nation set out to reconnect youth with Haida culture after colonization cleaved many citizens from their values and practices. Today, 34 Rediscovery camps can be found in Canada, the United States, England, Sweden, Norway, and Thailand. P: 778.260.1707E: swanbayrediscovery@gmail.comBox 1383, Skidegate, Haida Gwaii V0T 1S1. Xiihliikingang (April Churchill) recalls the first time she went down to the dock to help camp staff on their turnaround day, when one group of youth finishes the camp and another begins. Partnerships are also an integral outcome of the camps: between the camps and the youth stewardship program, 26 partnerships were formed with local, provincial, and national governments, non-profits, and local businesses. We value your privacy and never share your information, and you may withdraw your consent and unsubscribe at any time. A tirelessly prolific artist, Jim shared, withimmense grace and warmth, his plans fora dozen new projects, each more monumental and ambitious than the last. Mortuary poles are burials, each with a cedar box held high off the ground, in which would be placed the bones of the deceased. It is also the site where master artist Bill Reid in 1975 accepted Guujaaw as his apprentice. The camp is now run through Old Massett Village Council and led through a steering committee which consists of two community members (7idansuu Jim Hart, hereditary chief of Staastas, and Xitwan Jadaa Rosemary Hart), one representative from the Council of the Haida Nation, and one from Old Massett Village Council. Swan Bay Rediscovery Program is a summer cultural camp experience in Gwaii Haanas for Haida and other youth from all communities on Haida Gwaii and beyond.. 200 years prior, in nearly the same location, the Haida first encountered European colonizers, when they paddled out from Langara Island to meet and trade with Spanish boats. Because you made that mistake we know that is not self-evident; we know we have to put that into the manual.. Thanks for your help! Ancient bone may be earliest evidence of hominin cannibalism. The accommodation, food and attractions were awesome and everything about the trip exceeded my expectations. Naajuuwa (Missy McDonald) says she was lucky enough to be raised by her great-grandmother who was never forced to attend residential school, and remained connected to Haida values as a result. ReDiscovery is a non-profit BC society that has operated since 1978. In 2011, the Council of the Haida Nation recognized the need to inject fresh energy into the camps in the form of funding. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. But little of this has affected the Haida, who were never beneficiaries of a timber boom that promised to destroy their homeland. Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. The amazing reality, however, is that were actually doing what we first set out to do: were changing lives for the better. Hospitality is a universal trait of culture at which the Haida excel. Xitwan Jadaa (Rosemary Hart) says thats one of the best things about the camps. The guiding company partners with local B&Bs, lodges and other businesses and employs local fishers and harvesters to keep Haida food on the table in a way that is sustainable and mutually beneficial. Sherri's Gas . The camps are open to Haida and non-Haida alike. More than half of the land is now protected. This paper focuses on rites of passage as a model for wilderness programs. They are able to visit sites of ecological and cultural importance like Taanuu Llnagaay(Tanu),Kuuna Llnagaay(Skedans),SGang Gwaay(Anthony Island),Gandll Kin Gwaay.yaay(Hotspring Island), andHlkyahGawGa(Windy Bay). I lived in Masset for a number of years, and learned more about the town in his two hour tour than I did living there for years. Here's what you should know. We come from a strong, Haida people that were colonized; their language was taken away, and how they gather foods. Naajuuwa (Missy McDonald) also points out that cultural benefits resonate beyond the confines of camp: [Youth] learn something and they bring it back to their parents or their grandparents that have not had that experience, and have disjointed themselves from the culture..