Material Culture and Trade

The material culture of the Haidia is rich in beautiful crafts and filled with spiritual motifs. Perhaps most impressive are their skills in carving and weaving, with unique creations and styles that would influence their surroundings. The origination of the totem pole, which Hollywood and colonizers mistakenly attributed to all Indigenous people, can be found here in the Pacific Northwest and Haida Gwaii (Dorsey). Their weaving style was born out of the cedar bark and spruce roots within their environment, they were known for their tightly woven baskets and clothings.   

To those dealing with the Haida directly, they had come to know them as "notoriously firm traders" (Mullins and Painter). A large part of the Haida's trading prowess can be attributed to their experience trading with neigboring tribes such as the Tlingit, as well as trading between different settlements within Haida Gwaii. Lineage chiefs hailing from the Raven and Eagle moieties would control large parts of property and the natural resources within. The kinship aspect here meant that successful trades with outsiders would not only be a good material exchange, but also increase the status of the lineage chief.