Yahguudangang: The Act of Paying Respect

“One of the main laws of the Haida Nation is yahguudang, respect, meaning respect for all things: land, water and air; the Supernatural; our Ancestors, and each other. It is only when we show such respect that we can be worthy of respect ourselves. From this law, and many others of our Nation, comes the privilege of responsibility. As museum professionals and as human beings, we carry the responsibility to affect societal change by mainstreaming Canada’s dark history with Indigenous peoples, while actively working to set things right. In the Haida-Museum world, the path towards conciliation has been shaped by Yahguudangang—the act of paying respect. For over 20 years the Haida Nation has focused the work of Yahguudangang, on locating, repatriating and reinterring over 500 Ancestors from across North America (and one from the UK) with honour and respect. How we found ourselves in this position, why we do this work, and where it is taking us (all) is a story that should be known and never forgotten.”