Masset

Template:Canadian Town 54°0′36″N 132°8′17″W

Masset ['mæ sɘt] is a village in Haida Gwaii (also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) off the coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the western terminus of the Yellowhead Highway.

The name Masset was a gift from the Captain of a Spanish vessel that was repaired with the assistance of the Haida citizens of Atewaas, Kayung and Jaaguhl. These three villages accepted the gift and adopted the name Masset to commemorate what might be the first ever contact between Europeans and the Haida nation.

During the early years of Canadian colonization the name Masset and the post office were stolen by the former Reverend Charles Harrison as part of his scheme to sell land. Incidentally this was Haida land that was paper claimed, but contravened both British and Canadian Constitutional law by being parceled out to a select group of British subjects.

The name Masset is currently in use by the Village of Masset, a municipality under Canada legislation and the Village of Old Masset, the original recipient of the name and a village under the Constitution of the Haida Nation.

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