Before food, dance and speeches, one final step at a July 5 feast in Old Massett gave force to the B.C. law recognizing Haida title.
Invited to take the floor in the packed Kwiiyaans Hall, Murray Rankin, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous relations, followed Haida ceremonial protocol by repeating a solemn statement four times.
Four times, he read the key legal statement in the Gaayhllxid/Gíihlagalgang Haida Title Lands Agreement, saying: “British Columbia recognizes and affirms the Haida Nation has Aboriginal title to Haida Gwaii, protected under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.”
By the final time, everyone in the hall stood to whoop and cheer.
In speeches, several Haida leaders as well as delegates from other First Nations, the B.C. government, and the federal parliament all said the feast marked a historic turning point — the first time a Canadian province recognized Aboriginal title
without a treaty or court ruling.
“It’s only because of the strength of the Indigenous leadership across this country, this province, and the Haida WNation, for pushing the courts, pushing on the ground, doing the right thing, that the situation has changed.” — CHN President Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop 
“This country needs Indigenous people back at the helm. Without us, look at where we’re at. We talk about global warming, because the Indigenous voice has been silenced too long.” — Chief Joe Alphonse 
“You gave us hope. You gave Canada hope about what it could be to govern your land within your law, to govern your land as your ancestors did since time out of mind.” — Sundance Chief Reuben George, Tsleil-Waututh 
“I thank our nation. I thank our people for fighting. I thank our people for persevering.” — Gya awhlans, Roy Collison 
“Now, the future will be what we make of it, not what somebody else dishes out to us… Ideally, we come to eco-topia where everything’s good and all the trees are growing. Everybody’s getting along.” — Gidansda, Guujaaw 
“All our ancestors were so active in fishing… I look forward to the next few years, because they will determine whether we can negotiate a return of those resources in the ocean or whether it’s something decided in court.” — Nang Jingwas, Russ Jones 
“We were the stewards of these lands and these waters. It’s taken us a long time to get to this level. Now, we need to step it up. It’s all these young people that we see in the hall today that are going to be our future leaders.” — Gyahgujaang, Robert Russ 
“We can’t fight B.C. anymore, because they gave us Haida Gwaii back. So the biggest fight we’ve got now is amongst ourselves, as Haidas.” — Wiigaanad, Sidney G. Crosby 
“We will resolve Haida title to Haida Gwaii. We’re not passing this on to our next generation. And that means not only to the land, but to the ocean and to the freshwaters.” — Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson 
“We’re in exactly the same place as we should have been, right at the very beginning when the Crown asserted sovereignty and should have recognized Haida title, inherent title to all of Haida Gwaii.” — Louise Mandell, Q.C. 
“Now it’s up to us to build a house together, to form community, to show respect and love for each other, and to create a better, more prosperous future for everyone on Haida Gwaii.” — Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations 
“We’re not giving you anything back. It’s always been yours. We’re just finally owning up to the truth.” — Jennifer Rice, North Coast MLA 
“We have difficult issues to sort out. We know that if we sit down and negotiate in good faith and respect, that we will be able to achieve an outcome that holds all of us up, that makes us all greater.” — Doug White, special counsel to the Premier 
“As someone who lives up the Skeena River and is raising two daughters with my partner in this beautiful part of the world, I believe, fundamentally, that if we do right by the first peoples of this place, we are all better off.” — Taylor Bachrach, Skeena—Bulkley Valley MP 
“We’re all stronger together, even when some of our people sit on the other side of the table. We ask questions. We ask tough questions. That makes us stronger. — Kihlguulans, Christian White 
Emcee Desi Collison congratulates a boy who danced for everyone to get a lost necklace back. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aaju, Friends Together Singing, perform at the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aaju, Friends Together Singing, perform at the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aaju, Friends Together Singing, perform at the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aaju, Friends Together Singing, perform at the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aaju, Friends Together Singing, perform at the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo) 
The Tluu Xaadaa Naay dance group performs at the close of the celebration feast. (Andrew Hudson photo)
Many also spoke about the work that remains.
The Haida and B.C. governments have two years to resolve as many issues as they can negotiate out of court before the Haida title suit goes to trial. A title-recognition agreement from the federal government is still outstanding. And the Haida Nation will now take on a much greater role in managing the land and waters.
Many Haida speakers thanked the generations who came before, including Haida delegates who advocated for title at the McKenna-McBride Commission in 1913.
“Our people have been unwavering, consistent, and disciplined since the Crown came to these lands and asserted themselves in our lives and on our territory,” said Council of the Haida Nation President Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop.
Gaagwiis received a gift at the feast from Chief Joe Alphonse, tribal chair of the Tŝilhqot’in National Government, which just marked 10 years since a Supreme Court of Canada ruling found the Tŝilhqot’in too hold Aboriginal title, despite past attempts by the B.C. and federal governments to dismiss it.
“What you guys have done here is give hope to all First Nations,” said Alphonse — a sentiment echoed by Reuben George, Sundance Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh.
During the feast, Gaagwiis presented gifts to the visiting Indigenous and provincial leaders.
Gaagwiis also thanked elected leaders from Masset, Port Clements, and Daajing Giids, noting how in the early 2000s, they were first to recognize Haida title in a series of protocol agreements in which they and the Haida Nation agreed to work together for a sustainable environment and economy on Haida Gwaii.
“That is what connects all of us here,” he said. “The love for Haida Gwaii as our home.”