burg, Alaska. A second dialect is Skidegate spoken by Haida now living at Skidegate. The Haida language is quickly being lost among younger generations who are being increasingly assimilated into the English culture. About 16 north coast languages, including Haida, are at risk of being lost forever.
The Haidas once extended over the whole of the Queen Charlotte Islands. This group of more than 150 islands forms a long chain about 156 miles in length and 50 miles width at its widest point. Graham Island is the largest of the Queen Charlottes. The western and southern sectors of Graham Island are mountainous while the northern sector is rolling lowlands. At the heart of the island is a large saltwater lake. It is connected with McIntyre Bay by a deep tidal waterway. The waterway is commonly referred to as Masset Inlet.
Throughout the mountainous regions of the chain of islands lie numerous fresh water lakes, rivers and streams. Most important for spawning grounds for salmon are the Yakoun, Mamin, Awun and Ain. These rivers are generally too shallow to form avenues into the interior of the islands. Prior to the onslaught of white settlers, there were few overland trails leading into the interior. The Indians lived mostly along the shores and islands of the inlets. They ventured into the forests primarily to harvest cedar trees for building houses, canoes and totem poles.
Fish constitutes the major part of the Haida food supply. Salmon are usually caught when they enter the streams at spawning time. Halibut and black cod, which are also a staple of the Haida diet, are caught by deep-sea fishing from canoes.
The richness of the environment of the Queen Charlotte Islands has been conducive to a sedentary population which at one time supported itself largely by fishing and gathering. At the turn of the century the earliest fur traders found the Haida Indians living throughout the islands in separate villages ...