Discover Indigenous Art of the Northern Pacific—Charles Edenshaw and Haida Art

Early Life

Charles Edenshaw (Da.a xiigang) was born in 1839 in Skidegate, British Columbia, Canada. The Haida are a matrilineal society so Edenshaw belonged to his mother, Qàaw kuunaa’s clan, the Eagle lineage. His father, Tl’aajaang quuna, was a well-known canoe maker of the Raven lineage. When he was still a young child, his father passed away and his mother remarried his father’s nephew, who became his stepfather even though he was just seven years older than Edenshaw. Eagle, raven, and beaver motifs are featured extensively in his works as symbols of his clan associations.

The Haida teach through demonstration and practice so that students gain knowledge through experience. Haida chieftainships pass through families from uncle to nephew on the mother’s side. Typically a few nephews would live with and learn from their chief-uncle, training to potentially become the next chief. During this time, their etiquette and demeanor would be tested to decide which boy would become chief. This ensured that each chief would be diplomatic in dealing with outsiders and be a strong representative of their community.

Thus, in 1857 at the age of 18, Charles Edenshaw left Skidegate to live with his maternal uncle, Chief Albert Edward Edenshaw of the Stastas Eagle lineage, in Masset. The young Edenshaw started carving in argillite from about the age of 12 showing promise and these skills only improved during his years living with Albert.

Marriage and Artistic Collaboration

In 1873, at around age 34, Charles wed Isabella (Qwii.aang) in an arranged marriage. She was only about 15 years old at the time and their marriage was one of many between their prominent Haida families. The pair had 11 children, just four daughters survived to adulthood — Emily, Agnes, Nora, and Florence. An accomplished artist in her own right, Isabella was a talented weaver.

The two collaborated on many works; Isabella would weave an object, such as this hat, and Charles would paint embellishments on her finished pieces. Haida art features abstracted animal motifs depicted through heavy, flat line work and are often symmetrical—the Edenshaws’ collaborative works are no exception. The resulting works are surprisingly modern in feel, despite the style being centuries old.

Works for European Consumption

Edenshaw realized that there was money to be made in creating works for European settlers. Subsequently, he made different types of art for two separate audiences. For his own Haida people, he produced useful objects according to cultural norms. Meanwhile, Europeans were more interested in decorative objects and sculptures without an express use or purpose. Edenshaw accepted commissions from European clients, in particular the ethnologist John R. Swanton.

There’s an interesting dichotomy at play here. On the one hand, missionaries and the Canadian government were actively suppressing indigenous culture and traditions. On the other hand, ethnologists and wealthy European clients sought out their works. Edenshaw likely copied a full-sized totem pole to make this miniature version for a European client. In Haida culture, carving is a way of recording histories that are otherwise passed down orally. For example, the totem poles found on Haida Gwaii illustrate family lineages and heraldry.

Works for Haida People

Prior to European contact, the Haida practiced ritual tattooing as a way of displaying family crests. Missionaries discouraged this practice and it was eventually banned by the Canadian government. In response, Edenshaw began making jewelry depicting the same iconography for Haida people to wear. Like the traditional images Edenshaw pained on hats woven by his wife, these pieces have an almost modern feel. Other pieces Edenshaw produced for Haida people included bentwood chests and argillite platters. Haida chiefs used bentwood chests to store and protect traditional regalia. Meanwhile, argillite platters depicted oral traditions that taught proper customs and conduct in Haida culture.

Legacy

In the spring of 1862 smallpox was introduced to the Haida, decimating their population. It is estimated that by December of that year, over 90 percent of the Haida had died from the disease. Amazingly, both Albert and Charles Edenshaw survived the epidemic. Later, in 1884, the Canadian government banned potlatches, an essential ceremonial practice of the Haida. Finally, an amendment to the Indian Act in 1894 made attendance at residential schools mandatory for all First Nations children.

Interestingly, Edenshaw means ‘melting ice from a glacier’ in the Tlingit language. Edenshaw passed away in 1920 during one of the darkest eras in Canadian history for indigenous peoples. We can be thankful that Edenshaw’s works didn’t melt away, nor did the Haida nation. Two of Charles Edenshaw’s descendants, Bill Reid (1920-1998) and Robert Davidson (b. 1946), would become distinguished artists, keeping Haida art alive into the 21st century.