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HAIDA GWAII PLEDGE

I will respect Haida Gwaii and Haida Ways of Being during my visit 

Haida Gwaii is a spectacular place full of life and culture. Everyone in Haida Territories shares a responsibility to care for the Air, Ocean, Land and People. 

 

WHAT TO DO BEFORE VISITING HAIDA GWAII 

Are you planning to visit Haida Gwaii? Here are 4 things to do before you arrive.

  1. REVIEW the  Haida Gwaii Visitor Orientation
  2. SIGN the Haida Gwaii Visitor Pledge
  3. CONTRIBUTE to the Haida Gwaii Stewardship Fund 
  4. LEARN MORE, arrive prepared, and tread lightly while here  

HAIDA GWAII VISITOR ORIENTATION  

Click here to download the PDF version of the Haida Gwaii Visitor Orientation

HAIDA GWAII PLEDGE 

 

XaaydaGa Xaaynang.ngaay, yaahgudang dang ad Xaayda Gwaay guu hll k’awkaa 

Xaads Xíináangaa: Xaayda Gwáay díi .ahl stúujuus dluu díi an yahgúudángáasaang 

I will respect Haida Gwaii and Haida Ways of Being during my visit 
 

The Haida Nation is the rightful heir to Haida Gwaii. Haida citizens carry the inherent right to govern and steward our homeland. All people in Haida Territories hold a responsibility to protect this place for future generations. In return for your respectful actions, we will welcome you as guests to experience our Air, Ocean, Land and People. 

Haida language is represented in the order of ­Xaayda Kil (Skidegate Haida) • Xaad Kíl (Old Massett Haida)

I will honour these Haida Ways of Being by…

Yahguudang
Yahgudáng
Respect for all beings

Acknowledging Haida Title throughout Haida Gwaii, including rights 

Speaking kindly and listening thoughtfully 

Walking, driving, parking and camping only where permitted  

Keeping a safe distance from wildlife 

Artwork by Iljuuwaas Tyson Brown
Artwork by Iljuuwaas Tyson Brown

Ad kyaanang   
.Ahl kyáanáng tláagang  
Ask permission first 

 

Accepting that not all areas and events are open to visitors 

Asking permission before taking pictures of people and places 

Ensuring I follow all official orientations and guidelines 

Tll yahda  
Tll yahda  
Making it right 

 

Accepting responsibility if I do wrong, we are all humans and may make mistakes

Being mindful of my environmental footprint and my impacts on the earth, air and water 

Leaving everywhere I visit cleaner than when I arrived 

Artwork by Iljuuwaas Tyson Brown
Artwork by Iljuuwaas Tyson Brown

Gina ‘waadluxan gud ad kwaagid  
Ginn ‘wáadluwaan gud .ahl kwáagíidang
Everything depends on everything else 

 

Taking only what is given to me and leaving behind rocks, feathers, sand, and artifacts  

Respecting Haida Gwaii’s bounty, I will only take what I need to feed myself today  

Supporting local businesses and giving back where I can 

Will you follow these Haida Ways of Being? SIGN THE HAIDA GWAII PLEDGE!

Show your respect to Haida Gwaii Air, Ocean, Land and People by signing the Pledge!  

If the ‘SIGN’ button doesn’t work at first, scroll down a bit and then try again!

Share your support for the pledge and follow us on Instagram!

DOWNLOADABLE TOURISM ASSETS

HAIDA GWAII STEWARDSHIP FUND 

 

With direction from Haida citizens, the Council of the Haida Nation has created a Stewardship Fund. This is a voluntary fund to support Air, Ocean, Land and People stewardship as it relates to tourism. We welcome any contributions towards this fund and recommend 1% of your total travel costs.  

Donate securely via Square.  

You can also mail cheques to Council of the Haida Nation – Communications Program. to PO Box 98, Daajing Giids, V0T 1S0. 

For cheques, please make payee Council of the Haida Nation, and memoHaida Gwaii Stewardship Fund.

At this time, CHN cannot offer charitable tax receipts. 

 

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING 

Aguitis, Daina. Raven Travelling: Two Centuries of Haida Art. Vancouver Art Gallery; Douglas and McIntyre; University of Washington Press, 2006.

Blackman, Margaret. During My Time; Florence Edenshaw Davidson, A Haida Woman. University of Washington Press, 1982.

Collison, Frank and McNamara, Maureen and Nelson, Jenny. Yakoun, River of Life: Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Islands. Council of the Haida Nation, 1990.

Collison, Nika and Steedman, Scott. That Which Makes Us Haida: That Haida Language. Haida Gwaii Museum Press, 2011.

Collison, Nika. Athlii Gwaii – Upholding Haida Law at Lyell Island. Council of the Haida Nation;Locarno Press (distribution), 2018.

Collison, Nika (edited) and various Haida scholars (text). Gina Suuda Tl’l Xassii – Came to Tell Something: Art & Artist in Haida Society. Haida Gwaii Museum Press, 2014.

Jones, Kwiaawah and Ramsey, Heather. Gina Waadluxan Tluu – The Everything Canoe. Haida Gwaii Museum Press, 2010.

Jordan-Fenton, Christy, and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Fatty Legs. Annick Press, 2010. 

Ramsey, Heather. Monumental Poles of Skidegate. Haida Gwaii Museum Press, 2013.

Reid, Bill and Robert Bringhurst. The Raven Steals the Light. Douglas & McIntyre, 1996. 

Sterling, Shirley. My Name is Seepeetza. Groundwood Books/House of Anasi Press, 1992 

Swankey, Tom. Canada’s “War” of the Extermination of the Pacific. Dragon Heart Enterprises, 2012.  

Swanton, John R. (recorded) and Boas, Franz (edited) . Contributions to the Ethnology of the Haida. E.j. Brill Ltd.; G.E. Stechert & Co., 1905.

Turner, Nancy J. Plants of Haida Gwaii: Third Edition. Harbour Publishing, 2021.  

Williams-Davidson, Terri-Lynn. Out of Concealment-Female Supernatural Beings of Haida Gwaii. Heritage House; Bilingual edition, 2017. 

Wright, Robin and Augitis, Daina. Charles Edenshaw. Vancouver Art Gallery; Black Dog Publishing, 2013.

Council of the Haida Nation Website (2021) Council of the Haida Nation www.haidanation.ca  

BC Earthquake Preparedness and Response (n.d.) Province of British Columbia  www.gov.bc.ca 

BC Tsunami Preparedness and Response (n.d.) Province of British Columbia. www2.gov.bc.ca 

Constitution of the Haida Nation (October, 2018) Council of the Haida Nation. www.haidanation.ca 

Whose Land (n.d.) Whose Land. www.whose.land 

Go Haida Gwaii (2021) Misty Isles Economic Development Society. www.gohaidagwaii.ca 

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. (April 2021) Parks Canada. www.pc.gc.ca/GwaiiHaanas 

Haida Accord (May 2013). Council of the Haida Nation. www.haidanation.ca 

Haida Gwaii Museum at Kay Llnagaay (1976) Haida Gwaii Museum. www.haidagwaiimuseum.ca 

Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay (2008). Gwaalaaga Naay Corp. www.haidaheritagecentre.com 

Haida Nation Legal Documents (n.d.) Council of the Haida Nation. www.haidanation.ca 

Indian Act (1985). Canada Justice Laws Website. www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca 

Love Haida Gwaii (2021). Northern Development. www.lovenorthernbc.com 

Residential Schools in Canada (September 2020). The Canadian Encyclopedia. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca 

Sharing our waters with kuu once again (June 2020). Council of the Haida Nation. www.haidanation.ca 

Tide Times for Queen Charlotte (2021). Tide Forecast Website. Retrieved from www.tide-forecast.com 

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. www.trc.ca 

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007). United Nations. www.un.org 

Indian Horse – (Stephen Campanelli, 2017) 

Rabbit Proof Fence– (Phillip Noyce, 2002) 

SGaawaay K‘uuna, Edge of the Knife- (Helen Haig-Brown, Gwaai Edenshaw, 2018) 

We Were Children– (Tim Wolochatiuk, 2012) 

Greetings/Conversation 

English 

Xaayda Kil 

Xaad Kíl 

thank you 

haawa 

háw’aa 

good day 

sii.ngaay ‘láa 

sangée ‘láas

good morning 

sing.Gaay ‘láa 

sáng.áay ‘láas 

good afternoon 

sintaajiiGa ‘láa 

sántajée salíi ‘láas 

good evening 

singxyas ‘láa 

sángyáas ‘láas 

How are you? 

Gasing.uu dang Giidang? 

Gasán.uu dáng Gíidang? 

Are you well/good? 

Dang gwa ‘láa? 

Dáng gu ‘laa? 

I am well/good 

Dii ‘láa ga 

Dii ‘láagang 

Where do you live? 

Giin gii uu daa naa.uu? 

Git’láan.gu dáng náagang? 

I live in ________. 

_______ dii naa.uu ga. 

_______.aa Hll náagang. 

Are you hungry? 

Dang gwa k’ud? 

Dáng gu k‘ud? 

yes  

aa.nga 

‘ée / ‘áang 

no 

gam 

gám 

 

Animals and Birds 

English 

Xaayda Kil 

Xaad Kíl 

raven 

xuuya 

yáahl 

eagle 

Guud 

Gúud 

ancient murrelet 

sGin xaana 

sGidaanáa 

goshawk 

stads k’un 

stads k’un 

deer 

k’aad 

k’áad 

bear 

taan 

táa.n 

frog 

hlk’yan k’uust’an 

hlk’yáan k’ust’áan 

black oystercatcher 

sgaada.nga 

sgadang 

land otter 

sdllguu 

sdlagu

hummingbird 

gldants’iiGid 

dak’dak’diiyáa 

 

Fish and Ocean Life 

English 

Xaayda Kil 

Xaad Kíl 

bull kelp 

hlkyama 

hlkáam 

coho 

taay.yii 

táayii 

Dungeness crab 

k‘uust’an 

k‘ust’áan 

grey whales 

kun 

kún 

halibut 

xaaguu 

xaguu 

herring 

iinang 

‘íináang 

herring eggs on kelp 

k’aaw 

k’áaw 

humpback/finback whale 

sGap 

sgagúud 

killer whale 

sGaana 

sGáan 

octopus 

naw 

núu 

sealion 

kay 

káay 

Seaweed 

sGyuu 

sGyúu/sGíw 

spring salmon 

t’aaGun 

t’áaw’un 

urchin 

guuding.ngaay 

gúudangee 

 

Place Names 

English 

Xaayda Kil 

Xaad Kíl 

Old Massett 

 

Gaw Tlagée 

Tow Hill 

 

Taaw Tldáaw 

Hiellen Village 

 

Hl’yaalan ‘Lngée 

Langara Island 

 

K’iis Gwáay 

Naden Harbour

 

Needan Gawée 

Port Clements 

Gamadiis Llnagaay

‘Wáan Kún 

Tlell Village

Tll.aal  

 

Skidegate

HlGaagilda

 

Queen Charlotte 

Daajing Giids 

 

Sandspit 

K’il Kun 

 

Haina (Maude Island) 

Xaayna Gwaay.yaay 

 

Islands of Beauty 

Gwaii Haanas 

 

 

Family and General Terms 

English  

Xaayda Kil 

Xaad Kíl 

mother and/or maternal aunt (speaking to) 

awaay 

‘awáa

grandmother (speaking to) 

nanaay 

náanii 

grandfather (speaking to) 

chinaay 

tsiníi 

paternal aunt (speaking to) 

skáanaay 

kanii 

maternal aunt (speaking to) 

káaGaay 

kágii 

Father and/or paternal uncle (male speaking to) 

Gung.Gaay  

Gungée 

father and/or paternal uncle (female speaking to) 

haadaay 

xáada 

chief 

kilslaay 

kílsdlaay 

female 

jaa.ada 

jáadaa 

male 

iihll.nga 

íihlangáa 

friend 

hltaaxwii 

tuwíi 

youth 

hiit’aGan.iina 

hat’án ‘ináas 

child 

gidGa 

gid 

baby 

naanu 

ts’úujúu 

 

Misty Isles Economic Development Society www.mieds.ca

Council of the Haida Nation www.haidanation.ca

Haida Tourism www.haidatourism.ca

Go Haida Gwaii www.gohaidagwaii.ca

 

We would like to say haw’aa • haawa thank you to Palau for initiating the Palau Pledge and being a leader in responsible travel.

The Haida Gwaii Pledge is endorsed by: