Main Menu
Main Menu

Haida Villages
Haida Villages




     Haida Gwaii



RETURN TO MAP
Kaisun

Kaisun

Kaisun is a village on the west coast of Moresby Island. It is located at the east end of Inskip Channel, due south of Cha'atl village, with which it has close ties. The town chief of Cha'atl owned a large house in Kaisun, called Dogfish House, which he used when he resided there. Around 1840 there were over three hundred people living in twenty houses in Kaisun. All of the inhabitants belonged to an Eagle lineage known as the People of Sea Lion Town.

Skotsgai, the town chief of Kaisun, owned three houses; the principal one was House Upon Which Are Clouds, a Haida equivalent of "skyscraper house." In 1849, the discovery of gold in the area started a short-lived gold rush on the islands. Chief Skotsgai changed his name to Captain Gold, and his town became known as Gold Harbour. A decade later, he moved his villagers to Haina (or New Gold Harbour) near Skidegate on the east side of Haida Gwaii. Charles F. Newcombe purchased several items from Skotsgai, including his beautifully decorated chief's seat.



top