Reid, William Ronald

▪ 1999

      Canadian sculptor, carver, and goldsmith (b. Jan. 12, 1920, Victoria, B.C.—d. March 13, 1998, Vancouver, B.C.), helped spark a revival of interest in the traditions of the Haida of the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia, with works that featured the influences of their culture. Partially of Haida ancestry, Reid had his interest in Haida culture aroused at age 24 by two gold bracelets made by his great-uncle, well-known Haida carver Charles Earnshaw. For the rest of his life, Reid served as a champion of the Haida in a number of ways: by becoming a spokesman for their political rights; by helping to protect their native lands from commercial interests; by leading the movement to preserve artifacts of Haida civilization, often resurrecting the traditional technology used to create totems, canoes, and other artifacts; and by creating original works in various media, using archetypal Haida imagery and symbolism. The most notable of Reid's sculptures include "The Spirit of Haida Gwaii," "The Raven and the First Men," and "The Chief of the Undersea World." Reid also inspired such artists as Robert Davidson and Jim Hart. In 1955 Reid participated in the salvage of totems from several abandoned Haida villages and took them for display to the University of British Columbia, where he was later commissioned to build two Haida-style houses. These efforts were not without controversy; many people felt that such objects should not have been disturbed and that approval by whites should not have been sought as a measure of the value of Haida culture. Reid coauthored several books, including Out of the Silence (1971), with photographs by Adelaide de Menil; The Arts of the Raven (1967), with Wilson Duff; Form and Freedom (1975), with Bill Holm; and Haida Monumental Art (1983), with George MacDonald. He also had a 16-year career as a broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Reid received an honorary doctorate from the University of British Columbia in 1976 and the Molson Prize in 1977.

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