SEPTEMBER 12, 1920

HAIDA CARVER DA*AXIIGANG (CHARLES EDENSHAW) DIED

Born circa 1839, in Skidgate, British Columbia (BC), Edenshaw, whose Haida name meant “Noise in the Housepit,” learned to carve canoes from his father. Charles began carving argillite and silver at age 14–the first Haida artist to manipulate silver and gold. He assumed the ceremonial title Chief Eda’nsa in 1885. When baptized later, he took the name Edenshaw. Charles’ most productive artistic period was from 1880 to 1910. He carved model poles, canoes, and masks for non-natives; wooden settees, cradles, and grave monuments for the Haida. His works are in the: American Museum of Natural History; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; Royal BC Museum, Victoria; University of BC’s Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver; Canadian Museum of Civilization, Quebec; and Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, England. The 1^st exhibit of his work as “fine art” was the Exhibition of Canadian West Coast Art at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa in 1927. He died in Massett, B.C.

Source:  Robin K. Wright, “Charles Edenshaw,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography.  Retrieved 7/13/2019, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/edenshaw_charles_14E.html

Photo:  Author unknown.  Date:  Pre-September 1920.  Public Domain.