Haida are an indigenous group who have traditionally occupied Haida Gwaii, an archipelago just off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, for at least 12,500 years.

The Haida are known for their craftsmanship, trading skills, and seamanship. The first recorded contact between the Haida and Europeans was in July 1774 with Spanish explorer Juan Pérez, who was sailing north on an expedition to find and claim new territory for Spain. During the 18^th century, the Haida conducted regular trade with Russian, Spanish, British, and American maritime fur traders and whalers. 

British colonial authorities formally annexed Haida Gwaii in 1853 by establishing the Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands. It was later integrated into the Colony of British Columbia in 1858. Then in December 2009, the government of British Columbia officially renamed the archipelago from Queen Charlotte Island to Haida Gwaii.

Resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haida_people