Guujaaw
Encyclopedia
Guujaaw is a traditional singer, wood carver
, traditional medicine
practitioner and political activist. He is a Haida, of the Raven Clan of Skedans.
activity. He was in the forefront of the fight for the protection of Gwaii Haanas (South Moresby) and took part in the blockades of logging operations at Lyell Island in the mid 1980s. He had worked as an assistant to Haida carver Bill Reid
. Guujaaw participated in the revival of Haida songs and dances and other dying arts such as the building of canoes, longhouses and Coppers. Some of his totem poles are on display in Indonesia and Japan.
He was elected President of Haida Nation in 2000. His council filed one of the first Aboriginal Title Cases which is before the courts and has already moved Aboriginal Law through the "Haida Taku" Case.
In June 2006, he was awarded with the Buffett Award for Indigenous Leadership, on July 19 in Portland, Oregon in recognition of his longstanding engagement for the political, cultural and environmental advancement of the Haida nation. The same month he showcased Haida Culture at the First International Forum of United Indigenous Peoples, held in Pau, France.
In 2008, his engagement for the Black Bear
population endemic to Haida Gwaii was featured in an award-winning CTV
documentary.
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
, traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
practitioner and political activist. He is a Haida, of the Raven Clan of Skedans.
Background
Beginning in the 1970s, Guujaaw worked to protect Gwaii Haanas from loggingLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
activity. He was in the forefront of the fight for the protection of Gwaii Haanas (South Moresby) and took part in the blockades of logging operations at Lyell Island in the mid 1980s. He had worked as an assistant to Haida carver Bill Reid
Bill Reid
William Ronald Reid, OBC was a Canadian artist whose works included jewelry, sculpture, screen-printing, and painting. His work is featured on the Canadian $20 banknote.-Biography:...
. Guujaaw participated in the revival of Haida songs and dances and other dying arts such as the building of canoes, longhouses and Coppers. Some of his totem poles are on display in Indonesia and Japan.
He was elected President of Haida Nation in 2000. His council filed one of the first Aboriginal Title Cases which is before the courts and has already moved Aboriginal Law through the "Haida Taku" Case.
In June 2006, he was awarded with the Buffett Award for Indigenous Leadership, on July 19 in Portland, Oregon in recognition of his longstanding engagement for the political, cultural and environmental advancement of the Haida nation. The same month he showcased Haida Culture at the First International Forum of United Indigenous Peoples, held in Pau, France.
In 2008, his engagement for the Black Bear
Ursus americanus carlottae
The Haida Gwaii black bear is a morphologically distinct subspecies of the American Black Bear. The most significant morphological differences are its large size, massive cranium, and large molars...
population endemic to Haida Gwaii was featured in an award-winning CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
documentary.
External links
- http://www.qcislands.net/guujaaw/Bio.html
- http://www.haidanation.ca/Pages/CHN/Guujaaw_Pop-Up.html