Our Team

Jaad Tl’aaw

Paula Varnell

Paula is Haida from the G̱aw Gitanee clan of Old Massett, a weaver dedicated to the revitalization of traditional arts and culture. As a descendant of an unbroken line of Haida weavers and language speakers, Paula carries forward the legacy of her great naanii, Ilst’ayaa Selina Peratrovich, through her work in weaving and cultural education. She is the owner of The House of Haida Weavers and is deeply involved in Haida language revitalization through her roles with the Skidegate Haida Language Nest, the Skidegate Haida Immersion Program, and the Mentor Apprentice Program.

Within the Haida Sails Resurgence Project, Paula plays a lead role with the creation of a handwoven cedar sail — an ambitious undertaking rooted in ancestral knowledge and innovation. Drawing on teachings from her naanii, Ilskyalas Delores Churchill, and her mother, X̱iihliiḵingang April Churchill, Paula brings together weaving, cedar bark harvesting, and cultural practice to help restore and carry forward this traditional technology. Her work strengthens the ties between weaving, language, and the ocean-going legacy of the Haida Nation.

Weaver

K’ujuuhl

Evelyn Vanderhoop

Evelyn belongs to the G̱aw Gitanee clan of Old Massett. She is a master weaver specializing in Northern Northwest Coast textiles of Naaxiin (Chilkat) and Ravenstail weaving. A daughter of Ilskyalas Delores Churchill and granddaughter of Ilst’ayaa Selina Peratrovich, Evelyn continues a powerful lineage of Haida weavers dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of ancestral arts.

Throughout her career, Evelyn has been committed to teaching Naaxiin and Ravenstail weaving, generously passing on her skills to future generations. She has also devoted much of her life to researching historical records, museum collections, and archival materials to recover and safeguard the weaving knowledge of her ancestors. Her works are held in major museum collections including the Burke Museum, the Haida Gwaii Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Through the Haida Sails Resurgence Project, Evelyn brings her artistry, historical research, and teaching experience together to help reawaken the knowledge of traditional Haida sailing technologies, weaving the past and future into one powerful journey.

Master Weaver

Ḵayd Guudang

Jaalen Edenshaw

Jaalen is a Haida artist from the Ḵayahl ‘Laanas Clan, renowned for his monumental red cedar carvings, design work, and dedication to cultural resurgence. Mentored by master carvers Guujaaw and James Hart, Jaalen developed a deep understanding of Haida formline and traditional carving techniques through work on totem poles, copper shields, and canoes. While his art is held in collections worldwide — including the Field Museum, the Royal BC Museum, and the Pitt Rivers Museum — Jaalen finds the greatest meaning in pieces created for and within his Haida community.

In 2019, Jaalen began a personal journey to deepen his knowledge of Haida canoe building, studying unfinished canoes left in the forest, canoes housed in museums, and the teachings of his father. This led to the carving of his first dugout canoe in 2020. For the Haida Sails Resurgence Project, it is Jaalen’s hand-carved canoe that will carry the woven cedar sail, reconnecting Haida craftsmanship, navigation, and ancestral innovation. Looking ahead, Jaalen plans to carve a second, larger canoe beginning in 2026, continuing his commitment to strengthening the knowledge and traditions of Haida ocean travel.

Master Carver

Core Advisors

  • Claudia Bach

    AdvisArts

    Project Advisor

  • Gwaai Edenshaw

    Carver & Cultural Advisor

  • Staas

    Marine & Sailing Advisor

  • Danny Robertson

    Marine Advisor

  • Simon Davies

    Communications Advisor