A book documenting the first traditional Haida wedding ceremony in more than a century has been shortlisted for a 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prize, highlighting a significant cultural resurgence on Haida Gwaii.
A Haida Wedding, co-authored by Gid7ahl-Gudsllaay Lalaxaaygans Gaadaaldyas Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Guud san glans Robert Davidson, is a finalist for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. The award recognizes books that contribute most to the enjoyment and understanding of British Columbia and Yukon.
Published by Heritage House Publishing, the book offers a visual and narrative account of the couple’s wedding ceremony, held on Aug. 22, 1996, in Skidegate. The event marked the first time in more than 100 years that a Haida couple was married under traditional Haida law.
The ceremony was carefully planned to revive ancestral customs, involving a seven-part celebration that included a canoe procession, ceremonial rites, a feast, dancing and dowry payment.
“After many years of being married, we are finally creating this book so that others could learn more about traditional Haida wedding ceremonies and to encourage ceremonies in the future,” Williams-Davidson writes in the book (Windspeaker, April 2024).
The authors drew upon knowledge passed down from Elders and historical records to reconstruct the wedding practices, known as guud ‘iina Gihl (“becoming married”). The ceremony emphasized the joining of individuals, families and clans—strengthening the social fabric of the Haida Nation.
The nomination has been met with pride across Haida Gwaii, where many community members either witnessed the ceremony or supported its planning. The book stands as both a personal love story and a testament to the resilience and continuity of Haida law and cultural practice.
The 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prize finalists were announced April 10. Winners in eight categories will be revealed at a gala event on Sept. 21 at the University Golf Club in Vancouver. Shortlisted authors will also take part in a province-wide tour of readings and community events from May through September.
A Haida Wedding is available locally at the Haida Gwaii Museum gift shop and online through Heritage House Publishing.