As the Bill Reid Gallery prepares to unveil Kihl ‘Yahda Christian White: Master Haida Artist on February 1, 2025, we sit down with the legendary artist to delve into his remarkable 45-year journey. From intricate argillite carvings to monumental cedar canoes, White’s multidisciplinary work celebrates Haida culture and artistry. This retrospective not only highlights his creative legacy but also his vital role in the Haida Repatriation Committee, advocating for the return of ancestral remains and cultural artifacts. Join us as we explore the stories, inspirations, and impact behind this extraordinary exhibition. —Noa Nichol
How does it feel to have your first major retrospective exhibition at the Bill Reid Gallery after 45 years of work as a multidisciplinary artist?
I feel honoured to have my work on display at the Bill Reid Gallery.
Your art spans diverse mediums, from argillite carvings to ocean-going cedar canoes. How do you approach such a wide variety of materials and forms in your creative process?
When I was younger I used to be very adaptable and I worked in many different places. Sometimes I’d work on the kitchen table, sometimes I’d work on the back porch steps. Working outdoors, cutting materials out, such as; whale bone, wood and argillite. Sometimes cutting silver with a jeweller saw, for my father. So over the years I became very adaptable with where I work, and the materials I work with. And often I would draw right onto the materials as I was working on it.
Can you share the significance of your involvement with the Haida Repatriation Committee and how this work has influenced your art and storytelling?
I first joined the cultural committee around 1997, and over the next couple of years, we started looking into the Repatriation of ancestral remains. After seeing the first ancestors having to be buried into plywood boxes, I thought it would be more traditional and respectful to create cedar bentwood boxes for their burial. I felt more involved in the community, and I believe we were part of history doing this work. Just to show that our culture is still strong.
What role does Haida culture, history, and identity play in shaping the themes and stories conveyed in your art?
As I was growing up I heard many stories from my father and grandfather, my uncle and great uncles, so I was able to use my imagination to place those stories on Haida Gwaii. These stories have connection to place on Haida Gwaii. Our oral histories have been what has been passed down for hundreds of years and these stories I believe have a lot of meaning even into todays world. Also, many of the stories that have been told are to do with my families connection on Haida Gwaii, and places around Haida Gwaii.
The exhibition highlights your jewelry work in gold and silver. How do these pieces connect to Haida artistic traditions and your personal vision as an artist?
Many of the jewelry pieces were made for family and traditionally were worn to show the crests of their clan. All these are hand engraved using tools that I use specifically for engraving.
As a founding member of the Haida Repatriation Committee, what do you hope visitors take away from learning about your efforts to bring Haida ancestors and belongings back to Haida Gwaii?
I think it was the right thing to do to bring back the remains of our ancestors to Haida Gwaii to lay them to rest. We showed our ancestors the highest honour and respect that we brought ceremonialism back to honouring our ancestors. I think that many of our treasures that have been taken to museums stand as ambassadors to our living Haida culture.
Your work reflects both traditional Haida art and contemporary interpretations. How do you balance honoring tradition while innovating within your practice?
I think of myself as a traditionalist, probably much like my ancestor, Charles Edenshaw. But we are also contemporary artists in our own time. And I will continue with our Haida traditions and culture, and I am also looking into creating new ideas.
The exhibition includes monumental sculptures and intricate carvings. Do you have a favorite piece in the retrospective, and why does it resonate with you?
Probably my Chief of the Sea argillite chest, because it the most complex piece. It did take me the most time to create that piece. It has both 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional carvings on all sides. Also several different types of inlay to set off the sculpture. It also shows that in creation, there is life, but there is also death. The shamans would sometimes go into a trance and travel to the undersea world, the ones that survived and made it back lived to tell the story. The ones that died, their stories will never be told.
What do you see as the role of Haida art in contemporary conversations about cultural preservation and identity?
I think that Haida art is the visual language and stories of our people, they serve as a reminder of our history. There’s much deeper meaning in the stories that we see at face value, if we read a story one day, then read it again another day, we perceive deeper meaning. The more you read the stories the deeper meaning you find. So we could see meanings in their social issues, ways of being and also historical facts that were understood by our ancestors. They show us our connections to the land, the waters, our communities.
Looking back over your 45-year career, what advice would you give to emerging Haida artists or those working to preserve their cultural heritage through art?
I would advise the young artists to draw, to write down their thoughts, to learn the traditional forms, to bring back the ancestral memories to inspire your art. To learn your families history and to visit your elders and show respect. To show respect to yourself and show respect to others.
Christian White Bill Reid Gallery – Photo Captions & Credits
1. Christian White, Eagle Mask, 2011
Courtesy of the artist
2. Christian White, House Chest, 2006
Courtesy of the artist
3. Christian White, Raven Transformation, 2014
Courtesy of the artist
4. Christian White, Ts’aan Xuujii (Sea Grizzly), 2022
Courtesy of the artist
All images provided by Bill Reid Gallery. All images One-Time Use.
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