Naay I'waans ("The Great House", Chief Son-i-Hat Whale House)

Naay I'waans ("The Great House", Chief Son-i-Hat Whale House) Náay I'waans (The Great House) Chief Son-i-Hat (1829-1912), of the Yáadaas clan (Eagle moiety), became one of the wealthiest of the Haida chiefs.

Son-i-Hat (Kóyongxung) built Náay I'waans (The Great House) around 1880 and lived there until his death in 1912. Now the last remaining traditional Haida house, Náay I'waans got the name "Whale House" from the stories conveyed on its original interior house posts. Between 1938 and 1940, the Civilian Conservation Corps program reconstructed the Whale House and created a nearby totem park, using totem poles from Old Kasaan (Gasa'aan, "pretty town" or "beautiful village"). The National Register of Historic Places listed the "Chief Son-i-Hat Whale House and Totems Historic District" in 2002. Once again, Náay I'waans has deteriorated into disrepair and needs significant reconstruction. Many of the surrounding totems show signs of their age as well. The Organized Village of Kasaan (Kasaan's local Tribe) and KAVILCO, INCORPORATED (the local ANCSA village corporation, which owns the property), have teamed to begin the restoration effort.

Address

Kasaan, AK
99950

Telephone

(907) 542-2230

Website

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