The ancient art of Haida tattooing has recently garnered new interest after being featured in the Vancouver Sun on Jan. 17.
According to new research from the Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Art Studies, located within the First Nations Studies at SFU, the Haida practiced the art of tattooing for centuries before European contact. Always a part of Haida culture, these tattoos represent crests, similar to what coat of arms represented for Europeans.
These crests were symbols of status, social adornment or self-adornment. Each person, depending on their rank and their family, had a right to wear certain crests on their skin — just as they had a right to sing certain songs while others did not.
Haida tattoos were linked with the ceremony of potlatch: individuals were honoured with tattoos that were unveiled during a dance. Since Haida traditions were often passed down by word of mouth, a great deal of cultural knowledge was transferred orally at these potlatches from one generation to the next — including knowledge of the status and spirituality of other members.
The staff at the Bill Reid Gallery, explained, “The potlatch was the legally binding system for the Haida people, just like a signed contract would have been for the Europeans.” They said that tattoos “were celebrated at the potlatch [. . .] so that the other members of the community could recognize the right that [. . .] individual [held, as represented by] that particular crest.”
British Columbia is home to more than 40 different First Nations peoples, each with their own territory, culture and government. Among First Nations, the Haida are known for their art, and home territory of Haida Gwaii, which is also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Gregory Williams, who is the first formally trained Haida tattoo artist in more than 100 years and is himself Haida, explained the artform to The Peak: “There is a strict rule that makes Haida art [authentic]. It is in the way the drawings are done and the space is filled between the negative and the positive space.”
The exposition on Haida Art at the Bill Reid Gallery stated, “There is a formline system of expression using mostly the U form and the ovoid form.” This means that most Haida drawings use a combination of those two forms to represent crests. The colors used — black and red — also distinguish Haida tattoos.
Williams, who lives on Haida Gwaii, believes in continuing and sharing this art form. “Even if the Haida tattoos are part of our culture, it is important for me that we share it with visitors who come to Haida Gwaii,” he said. “This way they can go back home with a memory on their skin of their trip.”
Williams hopes to soon open a store in Haida Gwaii, called Haida Ink, where he would train at least five other Haida tattoo artists who could continue his work.
