Ocean House Installation Update
Tomorrow, Sunday October 18, 2020 Ocean House will be installed at “Bluejacket” (weather permitting).
Last winter, during site preparation, midden was disturbed and ancestral remains were found adjacent to the barge insertion location. They were exposed due to erosion and vibration from equipment operation. Since then, we have met with many people and have received direction on how to proceed. The Old Massett Village Council (OMVC) placed remains in bentwood boxes and into a mortuary house in a small ceremony at a temporary site near Ocean House. OMVC will conduct an additional ceremony once Ocean House is installed and the mortuary house moved to its final place.
Food-burnings were held to apologize and pay respect to our Ancestors and send medicine and prayers to them. The first burning was held on October 9th before final site preparation began, the second was held today before beginning preparations for installation. The burnings were small due to COVID-19.
Two Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) Heritage & Natural Resource Archaeology monitors and two archaeologists from Baseline Archaeology are on site. All work follows CHN and OMVC protocols. Archaeological and Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s permits have been issued. An Archaeological Impact Assessment of the Ocean House site is occurring concurrently with the project, including the foreshore.
We will continue to reach out to the community as we know there is much to learn and more work to do.
CONTACT INFORMATION
#1 Commercial Centre, PO Box 1384, Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, BC V0T 1S1 or by email to info@haico.ca