Deconstructing legitimized racism on Haida Gwaii

Abstract

In this critical commentary, I examine the manifestation of racial tensions on Haida Gwaii—an archipelago in what is now known as Canada—between settlers and citizens of the Haida Nation. Racism has been entrenched and legitimized over generations leaving its implications unquestioned. When settler communities border colonially imposed reserves, racialized boundaries and tensions result. Indigenous claims to the land and to self-determination call into question the legitimacy of colonialism and subsequently reinforce the us versus them mentality. The assertion of Haida Nationhood and self-determination disrupts the rhetoric of settler superiority. Haida peoples are deemed a threat needing to be controlled. Challenging racialized hierarchies, settler complacency, and racism in all its manifestations is an integral component to ensuring that the next generation of Haida citizens can live freely without fear of the pain of racism, ignorance, and shame.