Gwaai Edenshaw

Born in Prince Rupert, Gwaai Edenshaw grew up on Haida Gwaii. He is the eldest son of Guujaaw, former president of the Council for the Haida Nation, and with whom he has worked on four totem poles, one of which can be seen standing in front of the Haida Gwaii Museum in Skidegate on Haida Gwaii.

Edenshaw was born into the tsaalth or Sea Lion clan and also holds the name hloogii’tga, which means “Heron.” In addition to working with his father, Edenshaw lived and trained with Bill Reid in Vancouver for a year when he was a young man, then went on to complete the Jewellery Art and Design program at Vancouver Community College. He works in all sorts of media scale, making masks and miniatures in wood, drawing and painting on 2D surfaces, as well as carving small pieces in jade, bone and jasper. He is best known for his beautiful jewelry which often utilizes 22kt gold and abalone inlay.

In 2008 he and his brother Jaalen wrote and produced "Sinxii'Gangu, Sounding Gambling Sticks" the first play to be written in the Haida language. Edenshaw is also a founding member of K’ah (Laughing Crow, Haidawood on Youtube) Productions, a storytelling Society on Haida Gwaii. Through this venue he has contributed to several stop-motion videos including "Haida Raid 2: A message to Stephen Harper" which was part of the 2012 exhibit at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art Carrying on "Irregardless: Humour in Contemporary Northwest Coast Art. Edenshaw has recently worked on two important totem poles with his brother Jaalen. The first is the 45' "Two Brother Pole", commissioned to replace a totem pole that stood in Jasper Park carved in 2011 (A book was made to accompany the pole that Jaalen and Gwaai illustrated and wrote). The second pole is to be raised in the summer of 2013. The "Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole" is 42' in height and is a project headed by Jaalen Edenshaw. It will be the first contemporary carved pole to be raised in the jointly managed National Park and Traditional Haida Territory of Gwaii Haanas.

3 items

Beaver Totem Pendant
Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida)

Beaver is a significant crest figure on the Northwest Coast. Beaver is known as an elder who keep...

Beaver is a significant crest figure on the Northwest Coast. Beaver is known as an elder who keeps to themselves and only gets involved in the affairs of others if they are important. Beavers are known as the builders of the lodges and homes that support the family unit. In one story the first ancestral Beaver was a woman while in other stories Beaver is one of Raven’s uncles. They are very industrious and territorial animals. Beaver is often depicted with pronounced front teeth, scaly tails ...

$2,800.00

Dogfish Mother Pendant
Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida)

Edition /9This piece is stored off-site. To arrange a viewing, please contact the gallery directl...

Edition /9This piece is stored off-site. To arrange a viewing, please contact the gallery directly.“Dogfish is an important crest and mythic being…depictions of Dogfish feature high, domed heads, that actually represent the snout; sharp, triangular teeth in a large, downturned, mouth; parallel lines representing gills in the cheeks; large, and round eyes with elliptical pupils…Dogfish images may also feature a hooked, beakish nose, and a separate pair of circular designs representing nostrils...

$15,000.00

Male Moon Pendant
Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida)

Abalone bale ¼" long"Moon controls the tides and illuminates the dark night. Moon is also associa...

Abalone bale ¼" long"Moon controls the tides and illuminates the dark night. Moon is also associated with transformation and is widely regarded as an important protector and guardian spirit. Because of the powers of Moon, shamans sometimes call upon it as a spirit guide...Moon appears in the mythology of all Northwest Coast nations, though Moon's origin varies from story to story, even within one culture...Moon is characterized as a rounded face with relatively flat features, often those of a...

$1,900.00