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Haida Gwaii, Spirit of: Statue at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
by Bill Reid
by Bill Reid
Address: Just N of Pennsylvania Ave. at 4th St NW Nearest Metro: Judiciary Square (Red)
(dcMem ID #355)
Scroll down for 27 pictures
Click here to return to the home page for this attraction
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The Canadian Embassy is proud to be the home of Haida artist Bill Reid's
largest and most complex work of sculpture: a bronze-cast sculpture of a
canoe containing thirteen mythological Haida figures.
Ed. Note: The middle paragraphs from the above plaque are omitted here. See the text which appears below the next image. There the middle paragraphs are parsed so the description of each figure is immediately below that figure's picture.
The canoe contains both Raven and Eagle - the two sides of the Haida social
order; women and men, a rich man and a poorer man, animals and human
beings. It is an image not only of one culture but of the entire family of living
things: Not all is peace and contentment in this crowded boat, but whatever
their differences, they are paddling together, in one boat, headed in one direction.
Whereever their journey takes them, let us wish them luck.
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Among the creatures and humans represented are the Raven, the trickster of the Northwest Coast,
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holding the steering oar; under his tail is the Mouse Woman, the traditional guide to travellers between the human and non-humanrealms of Haida myth.
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In the bow is the Grizzly Bear;
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paddling on the port side is [Bear's] human wife, the Bear Mother.
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Between [Bear & Bear Woman] are their children, the Two Cubs.
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Behind the Bear Mother is the Beaver, an uncle of the Raven, who hoardedall the fresh water and fish in the world.
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Behind [Beaver] is the Dogfish Woman, a shape-changing creature, part human and part shark.
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Across from the Bear Mother is the Eagle.
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Beneath Eagle, perched on the gunwale is the Frog
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Arched across the centre of the canoe is the Wolf, withhis claws in the Beaver's back and his teeth in the Eagle's wings.
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Behind the shoulders of the Wolf is a human paddler whom Reid calls "the Ancient ReluctantConscript".
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Behind the
At the centre of this menagerie stands the shaman, known in Haida as "Kilstlaai". His robe and staff, sculpture within sculpture, portray the Seabear, the Raven and the Killer Whale - allusions to other stories central to the Haida view of the world.
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The Spirit of Haida Gwaii
Artist Bill Reid
Gift of Nabisco Brands Toronto, Canada
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Canadian Embassy website
Bill Reid Foundation website
Canadian Civilizations website
Wikipedia article on Haida
History of Judiciary Square including mention of Wyeth's Municipal Center
The Jade Canoe (2nd casting)
