Jeff Bear/Marianne Jones
Ravens and Eagles Productions
46:30 minutes • 2003

In the fall of 1985, a small but resolute troupe of Haida elders journeyed by helicopter to Athlii Gwaii (Lyell Island) to join their young counterparts in a stand against clearcutting. Industrial invasion in the remote archipelago had gone too far. Ancient cedar giants and rare spruce trees—lifeblood of Haida art and culture—had been leveled indiscriminately for too long. Buoyed by their courageous Haida elders, protesters united in peaceful resistance. A total of 72 people were arrested, but their tactics garnered global attention and won change: in 1987, the government established the Gwaii Haanas Park Reserve/Haida Heritage Site.

Archival footage features poignant interviews with elders Ada Yovanovich and Adolphus "Fussy" Marks. Surviving elders Ethel Jones and Watson Pryce share their recollections. Miles Richardson, head of the BC Treaty Commission, Guujaaw, Council of the Haida Nation president, and Allan Wilson, a Haida RCMP officer at the scene, provide further insight into these pivotal events.

Subject(s): British Columbia, Community dynamics, Environmental issues, Forestry, Indigenous people–Haida, Treaty rights

To view clips or to find more information about the series producers, visit: www.urbanrez.ca