The Unique, Beautiful Jewelry of the Haida
About 10 years ago I was in Montreal on vacation. I took a walk into Old Montreal and found myself staring into a jewelry counter in a store that showcased native jewelry. I spied a ring that I had to have. It was beautiful and distinctive with various designs carved into the metal. . I asked if the jewelry was the style of one artist and was told that it is the work of the Haida, a “band” or “nation” of the First Nations in Western Canada.
Back up the truck! What is the “First Nations”? And who are the Haida?
Wikipedia tells us that “In Canada, the First Nations (French: Premières Nations) are the predominant indigenous peoples in Canada south of the Arctic Circle, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. Under the Employment Equity Act, First Nations are a “designated group”, along with women, visible minorities, and people with physical or mental disabilities. First Nations are not defined as a visible minority under the Act or by the criteria of Statistics Canada.”
The Haida are a band or “nation” of First Nations. The Haida government is on the archipelago of Haida Gwaii in northern British Columbia. They have an intricate clan system, and are known worldwide for their artistry.
The Haida jewelers don’t only work with metal. In the 1820s, a large argillite quarry was discovered on Haida Gwaii and it was much easier to carve than walrus ivory. It is the only known quarry of argillite in the world and is only available to the Haida people (see Northwest Coast art).
Alright, already ‐ what is Haida Jewelry Like?
Haida jewelry is carved. Trying to find a photo of a Haida artist actually doing the carving finally defeated me, which doesn’t happen often. The closest I came was a photo showing a piece of metal set in the wax often used for repousse and a few carving tools (there is an article about artist Amy Edgars who carves argillite with wonderful photos of her working).
Each piece has a symbol (all animals except for “Moon”) with a beautiful description (see Alvin Adkins symbols page including this one of the “Wolf”). The symbols are: Raven, Eagle, Wolf, Moon, Hummingbird, Bear, Killer Whale, Frog, Beaver and Salmon.
The Wolf is the land equivalent of the Killer Whale,
symbolizing the strength of family and kinship. The
Wolf embodies the power of teamwork and the effort
put forth on behalf of all community. The Wolf
represents family, loyalty, honor, courage and strength.
Wolves mate for life which displays their deep loyalty.
The Wolf is considered the Pathfinder, and is allied
with the Moon.
Learn more, see the jewelry!
- Artists:
- Artist: Charles Edenshaw (also see a Pinterest board dedicated to his work).
- Artist: Shawn Hunt
- Artist: Amy Edgars Written by Sonja Hebert, Visitor Service & Gallery Shop Manager, Published: May 04, 2018
- Artist: Shawn Hunt
- Pinterest boards/Etsy Pages of Haida jewelry:
- Articles:
- Article: Lost art: Haida designer traces history of traditional jewelry making – CBC Radio, September 2017
- Article: Paradise Rediscovered: A Travel Guide to Haida Gwaii, the “Galapagos Island of Canada – Susan Musgrave, Vogue, November 20, 20015
