Old Massett facts for kids

Old Massett, seen from the Masset town pier

Old Massett, also known as G̱aw in the X̱aad kíl (which is the Haida language), is an important Indigenous village in British Columbia, Canada. It is located on Graham Island, which is part of the beautiful Haida Gwaii archipelago.

This village sits on the east side of Masset Sound, very close to the town of Masset. The land where Old Massett is located is officially called Masset Indian Reserve No. 1. The first name for this settlement was Uttewas, which means "white-slope village" in the Haida language.

The people living here are Haida people. They belong to two main family groups: the Ḵuustak (Eagle family line) and the Ḵayx̱al (Raven family line). The village is managed by the Old Massett Village Council, which helps make decisions for the community.

The number of people living in Old Massett has changed a lot over time. In the late 1800s, a serious sickness called smallpox caused the population to drop. But by 1968, over 1,000 people lived there, making it the biggest village in Haida Gwaii. In 2009, the Village Council counted nearly 2,700 members in the area. More recently, in 2016, about 555 people lived in the Old Massett village area.

Culture and Totem Poles

Old Massett is famous for its many amazing totem poles. These tall, carved poles tell stories and represent the history of Haida families and clans. They are a very important part of Haida culture and art.

Here are some of the totem poles you can find in Old Massett and the artists who carved them:

• Chief Matthews pole by Reg Davidson
• Geoffrey White Memorial pole by Christian White
• Medicine pole by Christian White
• Morris White pole by Christian White
• Skilay (Ernie Collison) by Jim Hart
• Family Center pole by Vernon White
• New Town poles by Todd and Derek White
• Hospital poles by Jordan Seward and Cooper Wilson
• Old Massett poles by Donnie Edenshaw and Jaalen Edenshaw
• Playing field poles by Lawrence Bell
• Morris White memorial pole by Jim Hart and Christian White
• St John's Church pole by Robert Davidson
• Amanda Edgar's memorial pole by Paul White
• Sharkhouse pole by Reg Davidson
• gyaaGang Monumental pole by Kilthguulans Christian White

Old Massett in Popular Culture

Some artists from Old Massett have been featured on a television show called Ravens and Eagles. This show is broadcast on the Knowledge Network, which is a public educational broadcaster in British Columbia.