Skidegate - Hlgaagilda Children's Haida Dance Group

The Children’s Haida dance group includes dancers from toddlers to teens. Dance practice each week is an important venue for the passing down of Haida culture, stories, song & dance from teachers to children. Practices include Haida story time, songs, the dance program, and the Spirit Song. Parents are heavily involved in the group and help children with regalia and masks, discipline, fundraising and working bees to make new regalia. Many of the teachers are youth and this provides a positive leadership opportunity for teens.

As one of the teachers for the Children’s dance group, I believe strongly that the Children are our future and would like to see them guided through their younger years, with the knowledge of their Culture. For Culture is the most important part of
“Who we are” and “where we come from”. With Haida dancing, we see absolute
pride in the children’s eyes as they dance the songs of their ancestors. We
would like to see the children get the necessary teachings of the Haida Way,
so they can pass on their knowledge of Song and Dance to the next generation,
and so on….As it is so important for any child to receive the knowledge of
their culture..”Jenny Cross