James Hart, Chief 7idansuu, head of the Sanggahlth Stastas Eagle Clan gave me some of his time to talk about land rights in Haida Gwaii. He was born with the help of a Haida trained midwife Vesta Hageman and raised in Masset, a community in Northern Haida Gwaii. He makes his living through carving and has constructed several large longhouses, traditional Haida dwellings. He gave me this interview in Vancouver, BC.

“Haidas definitely owned territories. If other clans wanted fish, for example, they would have to give a cut to the clan that owned the territory. (One would have to) give them some of the booty to pay for their usage. It was owned. Better spots were owned by stronger clans.

We are mostly along the north end of the islands. Tow Hill, Naden Harbour, Kung, Kuista and one village up in Alaska. There were some villages along either coast and in the north coast.

The government threatens our land. They’ve got the bigger guns. They’ve kind of taken over. Them and their system. It was always a threat that they were trying to put us under. (They) Didn’t give us programs designed to succeed. They intentionally hurt us.

(About the clan system) Haidas decided to work together to regain their lands for the betterment of everyone and everything. In the old days we had to have that clan run system. We had to have order. Not mayham. There for the future. We couldn’t mistreat it.

Today there (are) too many outside influences to pull it (the old Clan system of owning the land) apart- Canada, religion etc… If we go back, we will fight it out amongst ourselves.”