Click the bird to go to the student
gallery for examples writing in the
style of the Haida.
http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/haida_legends/
How do you pronounce the
word "Haida"?
It's pronounced "HIGH-dah."
What does it mean?
This is an English pronunciation
of their native word Xayda,
which means "person."
Haida Gwaii is an
archipelago of
islands (the Queen
Charlotte Islands)
off the northern
coast of British
Columbia near the
province's border
with Alaska.
Images of
The Queen Charlotte Islands
Religion
• Haida customs, beliefs, and history
were passed down orally through
stories, songs, and dances.
• They had myths and legends about why
certain things occurred, for example,
the changes in season. There were also
stories about each group and how they
first appeared in this world. All of these
stories were passed down to subsequent
generations.
• The people of the Northwest believed
that they were surrounded, at all times,
by supernatural beings interfering with
the natural world.
• In their culture, spirits were connected
to all living things.
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_nwc5.html
Killer Whale is a very
important crest and mythic
being throughout the Pacific
Northwest. In legend he is
widely recognized as a clan
ancestor, and is associated
with power, dignity, prosperity
and longevity. It was believed
a Killer Whale could capsize a
canoe and carry its occupants
underwater to its village,
transforming the occupants
themselves into Killer Whales.
Thus a Whale near the shore
was a human transformed and
trying to communicate with his
previous human family ashore.
The art was originally made
for practical purposes.
Bentwood boxes, totems,
spoons, knives, bowls, dishes
all sort of other household
goods were decorated with
family crests, totems and
other artwork that was
unique to a particular family.
The First Humans
Haida stories tell of how the first people
emerged from a gigantic clam shell on
the beach at Rose Spit. They got out with
the help of Raven, who is the most
powerful creature from myth time. Raven
was wandering on the beach, when he
heard some noise coming from a clam
shell. He looked more closely and saw
that it was full of little human creatures.
They were terrified by the Raven and the
big world outside the shell. "So, the
Raven leaned his great head close to the
shell, and with the smooth trickster's
tongue, that had got him into and out of
so many misadventures, in his troubled
and troublesome existence, he coaxed
and cajoled and coerced the little
creatures to come out and play in his
wonderful, shiny, new world."
-Bill Reid, Haida artist
Seal
The staple food of may
coastal Natives was
brought to the rivers and
seas by Raven. Many
celebrated the first catch
of the season with
ceremonies of
thanksgiving, to ensure a
good harvest.
Wolf
An important family crest,
Wolf was revered for his skill
as a hunter. To become a good
hunter, one must acquire the
spirit power associated with
Wolf. Haida legends have a
supernatural Sea Wolf,
Wasgo, a creature part Wolf
and part Whale.
Dolphin
Known for its human traits, they where once humans, the great
creator was asked by humans to make a bridge from the islands to
the mainland, the creator said he would make a bridge, and he
created a rainbow from the islands to the mainland, but if you fall
off i will turn you into a sea creature, so many of humans tried to
make the trip but the ones that fell off were turned into the first
dolphins.
A symbol of power and prestige among the
many nations of the world, the eagle is also an
important symbol among the northwest coast
people. The golden eagle lives primarily in the
more mountainous regions while the bald eagle
can be found along the coast.
Eagle is one of the most important beings in the
art and mythology. It is revered for its
intelligence and great power, as well as its
extraordinary vision. With its ability to soar to
extreme altitude the Eagle is regarded as the
principle messenger of the creator, the sun.
Eagle down is a sacred symbol of peace and
friendship and is frequently sprinkled before
guests in welcome dances and other
ceremonies. The eagle feathers are also used in
a variety of ritual contexts, as well as adorning
masks and head-dresses.
The Pacific Northwest Coast people believed that Salmon were actually humans
with eternal life how lived in a large house far under the ocean. In the Spring, they
put on their Salmon disguises and offered themselves to the villagers as food. The
tribes believed that when entire fish skeletons were returned to the sea, the spirits
would rise again and change into Salmon people. In this way, the cycle could begin
again the following year. Since the villagers feared that the Salmon people would not
be treated respectfully by White people who had no knowledge of the taboos and
regulations, they did not want to sell Salmon to the first White men.
The frog is a creature of great importance in
the Pacific Northwest Coast art and culture.
With its ability to live on both water and land
this creature is revered for its adaptability
and power to live in both the natural and
supernatural realm. Frogs are considered the
spirit messengers of Shamans. Frog is known
as the communicator between mother earth
and man. He is considered the only child to
mother earth. Frog is often used to represent
the voice of the people. Being that this
creature is very vocal, its songs are
considered by some to contain great power
and magic. Frog is also associated with
copper and is a symbol of great wealth.
Legendary Haida princes are said to have
attended feasts wearing necklace chains
made of living Frogs.
Moon
The Moon was the exclusive crest of
only a few of the highest-ranking
chiefs among the Haida; rights to this
crest are still inherited. Raven is said to
have released Moon and the stars are
pieces of Moon, flung into the sky. An
eclipse was said to be a codfish trying
to swallow the moon and a bonfire, set
with green boughs, choked the cod and
stopped it.
Owl
The Owl is one of the many
crest figures depicted in
Northwest Coast Native
design. Often, they are
associated with the souls of
deceased ancestors and are
viewed with respect.
Wasco is a mythical creature, part wolf, part killer whale. The legends
of Wasco are found all along the northwest coast. His favorite prey is
the killer whale and he is often depicted with his tail wrapped around a
killer whale. He is usually drawn with a wolf head, and wolf tail but
will often have one or more dorsal fins similar to a killer whale.
Bear are regarded with awe and respect by the native people of the northwest coast. It is
considered to be a close relation of humankind with its complex behavior and appearance, and
is referred to as the “Elder Kinsman”. It is one of the most prominent figures in crest, shamanic
art and myth. With their strength and fierceness, bears are the guardian spirits of warriors.
Bearskin cloaks are often worn during dances, ceremony and ritual performances. Jewellery and
amulets were crafted from bear teeth and claws, for example a shaman would wear a bearclaw
crown. Bear is usually depicted with a protruding tongue, clawed feet, little or no tail and a
short, broad snout.
Thunderbird is the most powerful
supernatural creature. He lived in
the mountains and fed on whales.
When he flapped his wings,
thunder rolled; he kept lightning
snakes under his wings to aid him
in killing whales. For this reason,
whalers painted lightning snakes on
their canoes.
The formline of Pacific Northwest Native Indian art is the main line
that outlines the body of the subject whether it is a person or animal.
The formline is usually black in color but can sometimes be red. The
thickness of the formline itself can change at various places and
contains all the other shapes used for a subject.
Northwest Coast art is distinguished by the use of formlines, and the
use of characteristic shapes referred to as ovoids, U forms and S
forms.
The main traditional colors of Pacific Northwest Native Indian art are
black and red. Black is the
primary color used in the formline which is the outline for the body of
the subject.
Examples of Ovoid Shapes
Examples of U-Forms
Examples Split U-Forms
L-Form
Examples of S-Forms
Principles and Elements of Design
Color
An important element of the cedar plank masks is color. Black, blue, and red are imaginatively applied, creating balance
within the entire piece. Color is used to define each of the parts of the head as well as shape. Traditionally, just as today,
paints were made from materials. Northwest Coast Indians produced red from iron oxide, black from graphite, and white
from lime and burnt clamshells. Blue paint from the northern part of the coast has been analysed to be iron silica. All of these
materials were mixed with oils, quite often salmon eggs, to make paint.
Space
There is the avoidance of empty space where a design form or line will add to the interest of complexity. This embellishment
is, however, done with sufficiant restraint to maintain a proper integral balance of line, form, and carving.
Shape
Geometric and freeform design. Some designs sometimes seem to represent internal body parts, sometimes external
appendages, and sometimes magical powers. These special designs are both angular and loose, free forms. A prominent form
which is used to depict the body parts is the "U-form". It frequently depicts feathers and ears.
Texture
Texture supplies variation in the design. The carved cross-hatching can be echoed by the use of painted cross-hatching.
Line
Curves are emphasized on nostrils, eyes, and lips, by deeply incised carvings, contrasting color, or both. Nearly all lines,
whether incised or painted, have a tendancy to run parallel and taper to a terminal point to each end.
Form
The masks were carved in 3-dimensional form.
Raven - The mercurial trickster of Northwest Coast Native lore. Curious and mischievious, often
misbehaving but never boring.
Sea Turtle - This totem is representative of Mother Earth.
Thunderbird - A mythological bird known to manifest the rolling of thunder while beating its wings and
creating lightening when blinking it's eyes. Known to kill whales.
Eagle - Intelligent and resourceful. He rules the sky and is able to transform himself into a human.
Wolf - Very powerful totem who can help people that are sick or in need.
Bear - A teacher symbol as it is believed that Bear taught the People to catch salmon and pick berries.
Frog - Known for bringing wealth and is associated with Copper Woman. In another myth, frog was
held down in fire, when it burst lava flowed and engulfed an entire village.
Otter - The otter is a mischievous creature that is also a symbol of laughter, curiosity, grace, and
empathy.
Salmon - The salmon symbolizes instinct, persistence, and determination.
Owl - The owl is a very respected animal and is thought to symbolize the souls of the departed.
Killer Whale - Whales are honored as strong and brave fish. The mythology of the killer whale is that is
will bring food and assistance to a chief or other important person lying helpless and/or wounded.