Today, Northwest coast native communities continue to practice their artistic and cultural traditions in the following three regions:

› The Southern Province - Coast Salish
› The Central Province - Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Nuxalk
› The Northern Province - Haida, Haisla, Tlingit, Heiltsuk, Tsimshian including Nishga, Gitskan and Coast Tsimshian


Map of Northwest Coast Native Cultural Groups


Haida
Haida art is certainly one of the most widespread art forms of Northwest coast native design. Haida artists are known for their argillite panel pipe carvings. In the early 19th century, Haida carvers made curios for European sailors and traders. Argillite stone came from a single quarry in Haida Gwaii. Haida carvers made miniature totem poles in argillite for non-Native settlers. Argillite miniature totem poles are known today as the original Northwest Coast souvenir.

Renowned Haida Artists:

Bill Reid is recognized as being responsible for the revival of Haida art and culture. He reinterpreted the argillite panel pipes into wood sculptures on a large scale. Reid also worked with silver and gold drawing inspiration from works of native artists Charles Edenshaw, John Cross and Charles Gladstone. Reid’s focus has been on the exploration of the Haida artform and cultural traditions. He was commissioned to design the now world famous sculpture The Spirit of Haida Gwaii for the entrance of the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C. A replica was later installed at the Vancouver International Airport and as a 90-cent Canadian stamp.

Robert Davidson apprenticed with Bill Reid and became a master of art works in cedar, gold, silver, argillite, bronze and silkscreen. The Vancouver Art Gallery did a retrospective on his work in 1993. Davidson's life work has focussed not only on reviving the traditional Haida artform, but also supporting Haida ceremonies and story telling. He founded the Rainbow Creek Dancers, a Haida dance group in 1980 with his brother Reg Davidson, and in 1997 he was awarded the Order of Canada.



Tsimshian
Most of the Tsimshian art techniques and styles were lost by the early 20th century. The Skeena Treasure House, now part of the ’Ksan Historical Village, is where many Tsimshian artifacts were collected and stored. In the 1970's, this was where many student-artists were trained at the Kitanmax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art. Northwest coast native artists, including Robert Jackson and Walter Harris, were trained here by non-native and native art teachers. Tsimshian bowls, jewellery, masks, chests and headdresses were made by students usually from templates. Most artists needed to develop their unique individual styles after basic technical instruction. Norman Tait’s work comes closest to capturing the traditional Tsimshian sculptural forms. This successful native artist trained with Freda Diesing in 1970.



Coast Salish
Totem poles originated with Northern Cultures, but are now produced in all Northwest coast regions. For instance, the Coast Salish artists did not traditionally carve totem poles, but today they carve Salish beings on totem crests— these include Wolf, Killer Whale, Otter and Seal. Salish women traditionally wove impressive baskets using red cedar bark and roots; they also made rugs and Salish blankets with mountain goat and dog wool. Contemporary Salish craft integrates European knitting and traditional Salish designs to create Cowichan sweaters and hats. Susan Point is a well established Coast Salish (Musqueam) artist who incorporates contemporary style with Coast Salish motifs.



Nuu-chah-nulth
Similar to the Coast Salish, the Nuu-chah-nulth of Vancouver Island did not traditionally carve totem poles. Nuu-chah-nulth artists made masks, ritual paraphernalia and basketry depicting whaling, which was central to their way of life. A current favourite amongst contemporary weavers is conical whaling chief’s hat made from cedar bark and swamp grass.

Most of the sculptural and two-dimensional art traditions of the Nuu-chah-nulth were lost. Artists such as George Clutesi and Jimmy John have had to study museum collections of traditional carvings to bring back this lost art form. Other contemporary artists such as Art Thompson have challenged traditional Westcoast two-dimensional design. Thompson uses bold massive formlines in his sculptures, graphics and jewelry.



Kwakwaka’wakw
The Kwakwaka’wakw, formerly known as Southern Kwakiutl, influenced the production of totem poles among the Nuu-chah-nulth. The Thunderbird is a very popular animal in Kwakwaka’wakw art, and this bird sits at the top of many of their totem poles. The Kwakwaka’wakw were historically a very strong cultural group that did not give up their ceremonial dances and potlatches. As a result, this cultural group was able to keep their carving and painting traditions alive. Mungo Martin, Charlie James and Willie Seaweed were successful Kwakwaka’wakw artists who inspired and taught a new generation of native artists. Most notably Henry Hunt, who apprenticed with his father-in-law Mungo Martin, worked as a native artist at the Royal BC Museum for 20 years. Here, he created many original Kwakwaka’wakw art works as well as replicas of many west coast native art styles.