Gwaai Edenshaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gwaai Edenshaw
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| Born | 1977 (age 47–48) Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia |
| Pen name | Hluugitgaa (Haida) |
| Occupation | Artist, filmmaker, writer |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Notable works | Edge of the Knife (SG̲aawaay Ḵʹuuna) |
| Relatives | Guujaaw (father) |
Gwaai Edenshaw is a talented artist and filmmaker from the Haida Nation in Canada. He is famous for co-directing Edge of the Knife (which is called SG̲aawaay Ḵʹuuna in the Haida language). This movie was special because it was the very first full-length film made entirely in the Haida language.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Gwaai Edenshaw was born in 1977. He grew up on Haida Gwaii, a beautiful group of islands off the coast of British Columbia. His father is Guujaaw, a well-known Haida artist.
Learning to Be an Artist
When Gwaai was 16, he moved to Vancouver. There, he learned from a famous artist named Bill Reid. This was like an apprenticeship, where he worked closely with a master to learn skills. Later, he studied jewellery design at Vancouver Community College.
Where He Lives Now
As of 2025, Gwaai Edenshaw lives in Sechelt, British Columbia. He lives there with his partner, who is a musician named Kinnie Starr.
Artistic Career
Gwaai Edenshaw is a very creative artist. He mostly works with woodcarving and making jewellery. He also creates sketches and paintings.
Art Exhibitions
His artwork has been shown in many art galleries. You can find his pieces in galleries across Canada and the United States.
Storytelling and Music
Gwaai also loves storytelling. In 2007, he created an animated web series called Haidawood. He also helped write a play called Sounding Gambling Sticks with his brother Jaalen Edenshaw in 2008. Gwaai even wrote some music for a rock opera called Beyond Eden in 2010. This music was inspired by Haida traditions.
He is also a founding member of a group called Q’altsi’da Kaa. This group works to share and promote traditional Haida storytelling.
Filmmaking: Edge of the Knife
In 2017, Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown started making the film Edge of the Knife. This movie is based on an old Haida story.
The Story Behind the Film
The film tells the story of Gaagiixid, who is known as the "wild man". In the story, he gets lost in the forest and loses touch with reality. Later, his community helps him heal and brings him back home.
Film Premiere and Awards
Edge of the Knife was first shown at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. It quickly gained recognition and won several important awards.
- At the 2018 Vancouver International Film Festival, it won Best Canadian Film and Best British Columbia Film.
- It also received the Sun Jury Award at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
- The film won many awards from the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. These included Best Canadian Film, Best British Columbia Film, Best Director (for Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown), and Best Actor (for Tyler York).
- In 2018, Edge of the Knife was also named one of Canada's Top Ten films by the Toronto International Film Festival.
