Welcome to Haida
Welcome to the Haida Lodge Website.
The members are pleased that you have found time to connect with this very unique lodge. Haida Lodge No. 166 is registered under the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon.
It was constituted in 1956, in Victoria, British Columbia. From the start this small lodge has been very distinctive in several areas. First, the charter members in 1955 when the lodge received approval to work, all members were from one lodge in Victoria. It is truly a daughter lodge of a mother lodge, the only one in British Columbia and Yukon. Second, from the beginning it was to have a small membership. The intention was not to become as big as its Mother lodge did (over 300 members) when the Charter members created a new lodge. Third it was to focus on two areas, discussing and promoting the philosophy of Freemasonry and the continuance of building education as a major component of the lodge life. Fourth, should it ever enlarge to membership over 100, that the lodge would split and make two lodges.
You will find in visiting the lodge that it treasures visitors attending its meetings. The warm hand of welcome is extended. Whatever is required to make your visit special, it will be done.
The lodge has special furnishings. Carved by a brother from another lodge in town, over the first 15 years Bro. Ted Gilbert was instrumental in carving 10 items in the Haida motif design. Since then other carvers have added another 4 items also of Haida design. Some photos of the carvings will be found in this site.
"because I believe myself to be a good man
who wanted to become a better man"
Aims of Haida
The founding members of Haida wished to form a Lodge that would guide its members to better exemplify the teachings of Freemasonry day by day. To this end, unanimous resolutions were passed setting forth the following principles:
1. Fellowship and Masonic Education are considered paramount to degree work.
2. The Lodge itself is recognized as the original and best school of instruction. In support of this principle, all members pledged attendance at all Communications possible and when unable to attend, promised to ensure that the Secretary was notified.
3. Numerical growth of the Lodge would be gradual; and,
4. Membership should never exceed one hundred in number
Speaking of Freemasonry
What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry can be described as, “a brotherhood of good men meeting and working in harmony; applying strong moral and ethical values to personal, family and community behaviour and upholding a code of protecting and caring for others.” More simply, “Freemasonry gives men of good character the opportunity to make themselves even better.”