Foundry Proof
The Chief's Speaker Staff is a prominent element of the Spirit of Haida Gwaii sculpture, one of Reid's most outstanding creations.
Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.
Killer Whales are widely considered clan ancestors. Living in human form in undersea villages, killer whales are often thought to be the reincarnations of great chiefs and are associated with wealth, unity and travel. Some prominent characteristic traits of Killer Whale are a rounded snout, blowhole, a dorsal fin, pectoral fins and a tails.
Raven is one of the most recognized figures in Northwest Coast art and oral tradition. Viewed oftentimes as a transformer and a trickster, Raven is the hero of many adventures such as the release of light into the world and the discovery of mankind. As a trickster figure, Raven can be celebrated for his cleverness, wit, and mischievous nature. In some oral traditions, Raven possesses the ability to shape-shift and is often depicted with a sense of humor and playfulness. Raven is identified by a thick, straight beak and the lack of plumage or horns on the head. Oftentimes, Raven will be depicted with a ball of light in his beak.
Sea Wolf is a supernatural figure that appears in Haida culture as Wasco/Wasgo, Gonakadet to the Tlingit, and is also in Kwakwaka’wakw traditions. To the Haida, Wasco is a giant sea monster with the head and tail of Wolf with Killer Whale elements, such as a dorsal fin and blowhole. Wasco is said to hunt Killer Whale and is therefore a popular figure among fishermen.
