Kiidk'yaas (meaning "ancient tree" in theHaida language[1]), also known as theGolden Spruce, was aSitka sprucetree (Picea sitchensis 'Aurea') that grew on the banks of theYakoun River on theHaida Gwaii archipelago inBritish Columbia,Canada. It had a rare geneticmutation that caused its needles to be golden in colour (rather than the usual green). Kiidk'yaas was considered sacred by theHaida people.
Kiidk'yaas wasfelled in January 1997 byGrant Hadwin as an act of protest against thelogging industry. Kiidk'yaas and its felling are the subject ofJohn Vaillant's 2005 bookThe Golden Spruce.
Kiidk'yaas features prominently inHaida mythology.
The Kiidk'yaas story tells of a young boy who disrespected nature and thereby caused a terrible storm to descend on his village. Only he and his grandfather survived the storm. As they fled the village, the grandfather warned the boy not to look back. The boy disobeyed, and was immediately turned into the Golden Spruce where he stood.[2]
In January 1997, 47-year-old unemployedforest engineerGrant Hadwin travelled to Haida Gwaii and purchased achainsaw and other felling equipment. Early on the morning of January 20, 1997 he swam across the freezingYakoun River and made a series of strategic deep cuts in Kiidk'yaas. The cuts were designed to leave Kiidk'yaas standing but weakened, so that it would be knocked over by the next strong winds. The tree fell two days later.
After cutting down the tree, Hadwin left the islands forPrince Rupert, British Columbia. He sent afax to themedia and theHaida nation claiming responsibility for the act, saying that he was motivated by "rage and hatred towards university-trained professionals and their extremist supporters".[3] The act outraged people throughoutCanada and received extensive media coverage. Hadwin was arrested, ordered to return to Haida Gwaii to stand trial, and was released onbail.
Hadwin planned to travel to his trial date by crossing the notoriously stormy and violentHecate Strait (fromPrince Rupert toMasset) alone bykayak in mid-winter. He departed Prince Rupert in February 1997 but never arrived at his trial. What is believed to be Hadwin's broken kayak and effects were found on Mary Island in June 1997. Whether he had been murdered, accidentally drowned, or left his belongings behind and fled into the wilderness is not known.[4] His fate remains a mystery.
In 1977 a group of botanists from theUniversity of British Columbia (UBC) visited Haida Gwaii to takecuttings of Kiidk'yaas.[5] These cuttings weregrafted onto ordinary Sitka spruce, resulting in two golden saplings. The trees were grown in theUBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. Upon hearing of the tree's destruction in 1997, thearboretum offered one of the two young trees to replace Kiidk'yaas. However, the sapling died in storage before it could be transported to Haida Gwaii. The second sapling survives at UBC.[6]
After Kiidk'yaas' felling, attempts were made to propagate a further 80 cuttings (with the permission of theHaida people) in order to increase the chances of a successful offspring surviving.[6]
The only wood harvested from the tree was used byNova Scotialuthier George Rizsanyi and broadcasterJowi Taylor as part ofSix String Nation, a guitar dedicated toCanadian history. Other pieces of the guitar include wood fromPierre Trudeau's canoe paddle andPaul Henderson's hockey stick.
53°37′12″N132°12′29″W / 53.62000°N 132.20806°W /53.62000; -132.20806