American Indians have lived for thousands of years in North America is a time allotted in the archipelago Queen Charlotte's and along the coast opposite to the southern part of Prince of Wales (Canada-Alaska), we see a landscape full of rivers, seas and mountains. The Haida for 8000 years have preserved the balance between nature and man. Europeans are unaware of it then believed to be the 'only civilized people in the world, then discovering that there were alternatives to their way of life. The change of time for very long periods of cold and heat, led to the Indians' development of methods of food preservation, which was lacking during periods of cold. All this explains how these peoples have preserved with great rigor climate el habitat. The predominant feature of ' environment are the rivers, the penetration of the sea for a few kilometers into the mainland.
WHO ARE THE HAIDA?
The Haida are a tribe of American Indians, language Dené -na, who occupied the coast of Colombia, under British rule at the time of Queen Charlotte. The Haida are better known as carvers of totem poles and how manufacturers of large wooden houses decorated. Their artists have still produce beautiful masks and other carvings. For centuries were entirely peaceful and good. The first encounter with Europeans occurred in 1774. Haida initially reacted with curiosity and peace signs to 'arrival of Europeans. Material interests / colonial and addition of misunderstanding gave rise to violence, partly because of 'inability to understand the language of the Indians. The spread of these reports of violence, and the negative effect of 'white man to these tribes, that they will multiply in cases of conflict and clashes often free to the detriment of the Haida community. All 'era of' encounter with Europeans in 1774, is estimated about 9000 Native Americans scattered across several islands. The Haida are concentrated in villages Masset and Skidegate. Masset is the most important, was established by the Canadians. The violence of the colonialists on these tribes triggered the mistrust that the Indians were then in respect of the white man, in turn responding with violence. However, these communities resisted maintaining traditional cultural aspects. The process of change imposed by the Europeans was only partially treated and with much difficulty. Today, the Haida are a people in crisis of identity, not having absorbed the entire process of European background. The population is subject to 'alcoholism, and Masset looks like a place devoid of life. The organization consists of social and private family groups in the same house, a sort of big house and sturdy when it joined the active part of the village for social and spiritual. Life changed in severe winters where you always lived in the house. The couple slept in the same house and ate their relationship with no secrets. social inequality between them was almost non-existent. Europeans were unable to understand these socio-cultural aspects. The company was divided into three categories: the nobles, the common people and slaves. This difference in social status was emphasized during the potlatch, an event of celebration and rites in which they gathered only certain people. However, this stratification was not static because it was based on meritocracy, in practice, a good worker could no longer be considered a common man. The potlatch was a major event, because of ritual dance and song festivals. Rich organized them accumulated more assets to the next party. The potlatch could be held for the death of a man, revenge, religion, or reincarnation of the animals or to make a special rite for a special occasion. All 'arrival of' Europe brought with them smallpox and malaria, habits changed and there were smaller parties and prudent. The resource-rich but production was never smooth. The food was scarce for several seasons or even for several years. These parties were banned and then cut short by the Canadian authorities to 'the excessive and wasteful consumption ", but with the return of these communities and traditions since 1980 are still the potlatch now organized. After the extermination of the Haida caused by disease and violence, the only village to preserve the main characteristics of this population was Ninstints, reported in 1981 UNESCO World ' UNESCO. The Haida people are not only for anthropologists work item and discussion but also an instrument of cultural development and civil, except that it ended up breaking through the European and especially to a military and economic dominance.
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