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All That We Say Is Ours: Guujaaw and the Reawakening of the Haida Nation
Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, is the Galapagos of the north. Famous for their wild beauty, the islands are also the ancient homeland of the Haida Nation. Integral to Haida culture is the relationship to the land, and the Haidas have spent many years trying to protect and recover control of it. Under the leadership of Giindajin Haawasti Guujaaw, the visionary artist, drummer, and orator, the Haida blockaded loggers, joined forces with environmentalists, lobbied political leaders, and in 2004 filed suit against the Canadian government, laying claim to their entire traditional territory. Ian Gill captures the excitement of the Haida struggle and their passion for their culture. He also reveals the making of an artist and political Guujaaw’s audacity, eloquence, tactical skills, and deep knowledge of his homeland place him at the heart of this riveting story, and this book reveals his extraordinary role in it.
- GenresCanadaIndigenous
328 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 8, 2013
Probably liked it so much because of my trip this year. But also it shifted some of my views about First Nations issues... which was really pretty awesome.
September 10, 2013
Incredible reading, inspiring actions, gives you a completely different perspective on perserverance can affect change. Book waa dense with factual information.
November 10, 2024
A great book describing the history of the Haida Nation from very early times and their role in the lands of Haida Gwaii, the arrival of the white man and his destructive actions. It details how the Haida have recaptured their own land. I travelled to Haida Gwaii in the 1070s, then the The Queen Charlotte islands, and observed the pillaging of their lands. Having returned in recent years to see how the Haida have regained control and are moving their economy ahead for their benefit not the benefit of others is truly remarkable. This book takes the reader through that journey.
November 27, 2017
An excellent chronicle about the re-emergence of Haida culture and their inspiring struggle to regain control of their ancient homeland of Haida Gwaii. An important story for indigenous peoples throughout the world, as well as a lesson for all about how caring for our environment must be a foundation stone for cultural, economic and social development. Glad I was able to visit Haida Gwaii for a few weeks in 2016 and to experience directly much of what I learned in this book.
June 19, 2017
This is really good! Informative in all the right ways, but the best thing about it is the way it makes Guujaaw come alive (not only as a leader, but also as a person).
April 11, 2023
Great writing, fascinating presentation of events and the players.
November 10, 2009
This review is part of the Green Books campaign . Today 100 bloggers are reviewing 100 great books printed in an environmentally friendly way. Our goal is to encourage publishers to get greener and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books. This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on Eco-Libris website . All That We Say Is Ours is printed on 100% recycled paper, and if you’d like to know more about green printing, please visit Ecolibris’ great page of resources..
*****
Between the Internet, teaching students from all over the world, and the copious number of documentary TV shows my parents watched with my brother and I when we were kids, I pretty much thought I had heard of every people group on earth. I was wrong, and perhaps that’s one of the central points of this book All That We Say Is Ours - the Haida have been forgotten as a people, and thus, they, like many First Nations, have been abused, robbed and mistreated because of it. This book helps to tell their story.
The Haida live on what are commonly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands (the Haida name for these islands is Haida Gwaii) off the Pacific Coast of British Columbia, Canada. They are a small indigenous group that takes much of its cultural knowledge from the landscape around it. Their songs, dances, art, and food largely come from the waterways, flora, and fawna surrounding them: ravens, eagles, salmon, totem poles, dug-out canoes. There are not people of teepees and horses, as many American stereotypes portray our aboriginal people - these are people of longhouses and boats. This is the story, in part, of their battle to keep their land and to preserve it. You’ll have to read the book to see (and evaluate) whether or not they were successful; the battle for their land rights, I assure you, is a powerful and heartbreaking journey through the struggles that many First Nations have had to restore the land or simply to receive the promises of treaties long broken. This is a story of colonization and the restoration of memory.
The book opens with a lovely and detailed description of a potlatch, where the community comes together to celebrate their heritage, bestow honor, revel in the artwork of its members, and, of course, to eat. Gill’s description both helps convey the action of the event but also its import, setting up the people and their stories for the rest of the book.
The remaining chapters describe the various people - particularly Guujaaw, a Haida elder and activist - and struggles through which they have come - from securing Aboriginal title for their land to battling the harmful and injust logging practices of corporations. Intermixed with the Haida story, Gill tells the stories of many Aboriginal people without overshadowing the story of the Haida with political rhetoric. The writing is very masterful and inspiring.
Gill is the president of Ecotrust Canada, a Portland, Oregon-based organization whose “mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity and environmental well-being.” As Gill says in this video, they work to show that there need not be a dichotomy between jobs and working for the environment. Oh, I hope we are listening to that message.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in indigenous rights, indigenous cultures, First Nations, environmental stewardships, land rights, and the Pacific Northwest. The writing is immaculate, but the story - well, it’s one we all need to hear so that we don’t forget.
To read more about the Haida Gwaii, see the following:
Minnesota State University Mankato description,
“For Haida, journey by canoe marks a sea change “ from The Globe and Mail
“Haida Gwaii Welcomes the Olympic Flame” from The Northern View
To read more about their land struggle, see this link from Earth First!.
Review from http://www.andilit.com/?p=556 - Stop by to leave a comment if you will.
*****
Between the Internet, teaching students from all over the world, and the copious number of documentary TV shows my parents watched with my brother and I when we were kids, I pretty much thought I had heard of every people group on earth. I was wrong, and perhaps that’s one of the central points of this book All That We Say Is Ours - the Haida have been forgotten as a people, and thus, they, like many First Nations, have been abused, robbed and mistreated because of it. This book helps to tell their story.
The Haida live on what are commonly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands (the Haida name for these islands is Haida Gwaii) off the Pacific Coast of British Columbia, Canada. They are a small indigenous group that takes much of its cultural knowledge from the landscape around it. Their songs, dances, art, and food largely come from the waterways, flora, and fawna surrounding them: ravens, eagles, salmon, totem poles, dug-out canoes. There are not people of teepees and horses, as many American stereotypes portray our aboriginal people - these are people of longhouses and boats. This is the story, in part, of their battle to keep their land and to preserve it. You’ll have to read the book to see (and evaluate) whether or not they were successful; the battle for their land rights, I assure you, is a powerful and heartbreaking journey through the struggles that many First Nations have had to restore the land or simply to receive the promises of treaties long broken. This is a story of colonization and the restoration of memory.
The book opens with a lovely and detailed description of a potlatch, where the community comes together to celebrate their heritage, bestow honor, revel in the artwork of its members, and, of course, to eat. Gill’s description both helps convey the action of the event but also its import, setting up the people and their stories for the rest of the book.
The remaining chapters describe the various people - particularly Guujaaw, a Haida elder and activist - and struggles through which they have come - from securing Aboriginal title for their land to battling the harmful and injust logging practices of corporations. Intermixed with the Haida story, Gill tells the stories of many Aboriginal people without overshadowing the story of the Haida with political rhetoric. The writing is very masterful and inspiring.
Gill is the president of Ecotrust Canada, a Portland, Oregon-based organization whose “mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity and environmental well-being.” As Gill says in this video, they work to show that there need not be a dichotomy between jobs and working for the environment. Oh, I hope we are listening to that message.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in indigenous rights, indigenous cultures, First Nations, environmental stewardships, land rights, and the Pacific Northwest. The writing is immaculate, but the story - well, it’s one we all need to hear so that we don’t forget.
To read more about the Haida Gwaii, see the following:
Minnesota State University Mankato description,
“For Haida, journey by canoe marks a sea change “ from The Globe and Mail
“Haida Gwaii Welcomes the Olympic Flame” from The Northern View
To read more about their land struggle, see this link from Earth First!.
Review from http://www.andilit.com/?p=556 - Stop by to leave a comment if you will.
October 26, 2025
Ian Gill, All That We Say Is Ours: Guujaaw and the Reawakening of the Haida Nation. Vancouver Douglas and Mclntyre, 2009. 328 pages. ISBN 978-1553651864. $34.95. https://iportal.usask.ca/record/33378..., speeches and sound bites from a variety of Haida sources make this book a productive and interesting read. Gill chronicles the determination of the Haida to secure their territory through the eyes of their most prominent leaders, especially Guujaaw (Gary Edenshaw), a fiery Haida orator, leader, and carver. Taking a journalistic approach, Gill recounts the Haida efforts to save their land. The book depicts Haida political history through the "tellings" of their most colorful and influential leaders. It takes us on a tour of Haida protests, hearings, and political struggles to save Haida Gwaii from timber licenses and the ambitions of the likes of Weyerhauser, who would denude her of her forests. The book is sprinkled with names of people who, Gill believes, made large contributions to the advancement of Haida title and rights initiatives. Moreover, Gill captures the essence of a thirty-year Haida Renaissance with quotations from other Haida luminaries too, such as Bill Reid, Miles Richardson, Elizabeth Moore, and Terri-Lynn Williams Davidson. The Haida case is shown to be foundational in advancing First Nations rights across Canada. The book highlights Guujaaw's passion for saving the land and his heartfelt conviction that the land is the culture. In his words, "We are the song, our grandmother's within, of the earth...the sea the forest the sky people Kaayxil and Kuustak is who we are" (252). The words of Haida lawyer Terri-Lynn Williams Davidson, who founded Environment-Aboriginal Guardianship through Law and Education in 1997, echo that her "first passion is culture.... Everything I have done has been motivated by a desire to protect and keep culture alive" (235). Gill draws particular connection between Guujaaw's many emotional statements and speeches and his environmental work to protect salmon stocks, block oil tankers and save timber stands, while steering title and rights legislation. Gill's chronicle of Haida initiatives to save their islands from industrial development and alienation, of course, highlights the compatible concerns of environmentalists and First Nations. Guujaaw explains, "Haida people are adamant that the solution is to look after the things that have given them life; the struggles of the Haida Nation represent all people's struggles in trying to do what is right for 'this poor old world of ours'"(222). While the book's environmental angle is tied to the author's own philosophical commitment to "nature states" over "nation states" and "real communities" over "commerce," nevertheless Gill attempts to offer a balanced perspective by sharing with us opinions from other voices, such as Elizabeth Moore (first woman chief of old Massett), who advocates for jobs, support for women's issues, better health care, and an end to poverty as the primary Haida concerns. All That We Say Is Ours may appeal primarily to those familiar with British Columbia and the Indigenous rights struggles there. The book's importance, however, lies in the fact that it allows us a glimpse into what drives Haida leaders and the environmentalists engaged in common cause with them. (Originally published in the Canadian Journal of Native Studies, Vol 31 #1. 2011.https://iportal.usask.ca/record/33378)
March 10, 2016
The book is written from the Haidas' perspective, and describes last developments in fight for the title to Haida Gwaii. I enjoyed learning about the culture and believes, as well as history. I have many concerns about socio-economic system that they use, and power balance. It would appear that combining dictatorship with communal values (which apply to the other "mortals,") created dangerous results in past (Stalin, different cults). Perhaps I am missing some insight to the democratic process here.
May 20, 2015
This book brings such amazing insight into the Haida's struggle and their wins. I have a deeper understanding of these people and Haida Gwaii and I think the author did a wonderful job of explaining the Haida culture, people and what they have been through.
September 2, 2014
i couldn't finish this. it was boring.
Read
February 18, 2011This is something I'm looking into for my class, but Guujaaw is a very interesting guy. I'm looking forward to learning more about him.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews