Haida Art
The Haida Nation encompasses an archipelago of islands of the coast of Canada called Haida Gwaii and extends into Alaska. For thousands of years Haida artists have brought to life our stories, our history and our traditions though art. We kept a record of our lives and lineage through our art. Our art could be found on canoes, houses, crest poles, paddles and everyday objects such as baskets and blankets. At one time our art had begun to disappear and was brought back to life a few decades ago by small group of dedicated artists. Today Haida art is enjoying an incredible resurgence.
Each family has their own specific set of crests and legends and the art is derived from those crests or legends. Our legends share how the islands of Haida Gwaii came to be after the ice age, how the first people came to be and how we got the sun and the moon as well as many other stories. I was taught that Haida art is very disciplined and if you wanted to practice the art you needed to dedicate yourself many years of practice, research and learning.
Each family has their own specific set of crests and legends and the art is derived from those crests or legends. Our legends share how the islands of Haida Gwaii came to be after the ice age, how the first people came to be and how we got the sun and the moon as well as many other stories. I was taught that Haida art is very disciplined and if you wanted to practice the art you needed to dedicate yourself many years of practice, research and learning.