Haida Heritage Centre
Haida Heritage Centre
Tansy visited the The Haida Heritage Centre at Ḵay Llnagaay, and was amazed and thrilled to see the carvings which are on a very grand scale compared to small carved wooden dolls like Hitty! This house post was carved by Guujaaw.
House Entrances
In a traditional Haida big house the entrance would have been right through the central pole. This is a new house built in the old style, and has doors on either side of the central pole. The shadow of an entrance hole is indicated in the belly of the carved Sea Grizzly.
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House Entrance
Tansy loves the shape and symmetry of the carvings, the wood grain, and the colours of the weathered wood.
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Sheltered Pole
… around the side of the Heritage Centre, Tansy encountered a carved pole resting under shelter…
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Pole and Canoe
This is Haida Artist Bill Reid’s Skidegate pole…and Tansy spent a bit of time communing with the venerable old wood, before going to check out the canoes.
Click here to read a blog describing some of the history of this particular pole.
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Quimper Hittys 
Tansy, thanks for bringing us some NorthWestern history and glimpses. I’m pretty unfamiliar with (or haven’t seen in person) the places you take us.
Tansy is lucky she has been to the North Island and all around the South Islands of Haida Gwaii! I am glad when any of the Hittys goes off and has an adventure – especially if they report back on their experiences. Tansy seems to be particularly good at that!
It must be strange to walk among giants. I wonder if Tansy can communicate with these enormous carvings?
We may never know, it probably takes a long time to say anything in Old Cedar…and that is a language Tansy had to learn as a doll, after her native Linden (head and body) and Birch (arms and legs). I think she has a small amount of bamboo now after a recent mishap with a two-year-old.
Communing with the wood… That’s a wonderful thought! Tansy is one lucky Hitty.
She sure is lucky! I believe one of your Hittys once went to Alaska? There are probably a few stories there too!
ahhh, yet another marvelous adventure and report from the intrepid Tansy. Really enjoyed the history tidbits and of course the wonderful photography. Thank you
You are welcome! Tansy’s head is stuffed with memories about her many adventures, I am glad for her that she gets to go on these expeditions, and comes back to tell us about them!
Very nice carving. thank you Tansy for another interesting adventure.
Tansy is delighted to share!
Wonderful carvings remind me of those in NZ. Looks like she had a great adventure.
I once observed the meeting and celebration of a youth group from NZ and a BC First Nations youth group in a Big House – such feasting, dancing, drumming and singing! Knocked my socks right off!