A day is what you make of it. Being in a certain place or with certain people can help out significantly, but ultimately it all depends on your approach to see how it all shapes out. Greeting yet another sunny day in the Pacific Northwest with appreciative glee, we headed out in buses to the northern end of Haida Gwaii. Moving far faster than we have in over a week and yet still able to soak in the beauty of the coastline, this time from the fresh perspective of looking out at the ocean instead of from it. The reason to temporarily abandon our trusty vessel we’ve come to call home was that we had received special permission to visit the homes of two renowned artisans. These men are local legends and to be invited into their homes is akin to getting to peek behind the curtain. Master carver Jim Hart’s house is also his workshop and is almost a physical manifestation of his personality. Practical tools lie on each surface, along with countless curiosities, new and old alike, while the crisp smell of cedar delightfully permeates everything. Much like his artwork, it all swirls together in a chaotic collection of color that somehow still fits together perfectly. In mediums of wood, stone, and metal, Jim uses his expert skills to bring life to these inanimate materials and keep the memory of his culture vibrantly alive.
Our next visit is the longhouse of Christian White, who has dedicated his life to his community and preserving and sharing the traditional ways of his people, through his workmanship as well as dancing. We are welcomed into his massive homemade workshop that fits entire totem poles and forty-foot long canoes that have been hollowed out of a single tree. Seeing these monumental projects in progress further solidifies the sense of wonder upon seeing them finished. Touching the smooth grain and knowing that the polished feel is from sharp blades alone is almost unbelievable. To sculpt something so large and so detailed from one solid piece of wood requires not just precise hands but a patient mind. The faces and animals we see artistically carved tell the story of this place and it’s people. The designs are a balanced fusion of the natural world and the respect that the Haida culture bestows upon it. After a full day of learning we say our farewells to this truly unique island and press northwards once again aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion, our memories of this place engraved in our minds and then given the finishing touch as a pod of killer whales arrives and escorts us across Hecate Strait.
