Willie Seaweed facts for kids

Willie Seaweed (1873–1967) was an important Kwakwaka'wakw chief and wood carver from Canada. He was known as a master artist from the Northwest Coast of North America. People remember him for his special carving style and for helping to keep traditional ceremonies alive. This was especially important during a time when the Canadian government had banned the potlatch ceremony. Today, you can find Seaweed's artwork in museums, cultural centers, and private collections. Some of his pieces are still used by the Nak'waxda'xw tribe.

Early Life and Learning

Willie Seaweed was born around 1873 in a village called Tigwaxsti. He grew up in Blunden Harbour, British Columbia, which is known in his language as Ba'a's. He lived there until he passed away in 1967.

Both of Seaweed's parents came from important families of chiefs. His father was the head chief of a group called the Gixsam, part of the Nak'waxda'xw tribe. This tribe is in the Kwakwaka'wakw region. Seaweed's father died before he was born. Because of this, Willie Seaweed became the head chief, called Hilamas, at a young age. This helped keep the leadership in his family.

Seaweed was born at a time when many white settlers were coming to the Canadian coast. This happened after the fur trade, gold rush, and colonization. So, it was common for Indigenous tribes to meet white settlers. However, Seaweed's village in Blunden Harbour was in a mountainous area on Vancouver Island. This helped keep it separate from direct European contact. Because of this, the traditional ways of his people could continue without much disturbance.

Most Indigenous young people at that time were sent to residential schools. But Seaweed did not go to a boarding school. Instead, he learned to speak the traditional Kwak'wala language. He spoke it his whole life.

Part of the Kwakwaka'wakw way of learning included working with an elder. This was like an apprenticeship to learn traditional carving. Students would learn by watching and practicing with an elder, usually their father or uncle. Since Seaweed's father died early, we don't know much about his specific carving training. Experts believe he likely learned from his older half-brother, Johnny Davis, who was also an artist.

Kwakwaka'wakw Life

Chief of the Nak'waxda'xw Tribe

As chief of the Nak'waxda'xw nation, Willie Seaweed was called Hilamas. This name means "Right Maker." Willie Seaweed was his official Canadian name. First Nations people had to have a legal name recognized by the government. Informally, he was also known as Kwaghitola or Smoky Top.

Because of his family history, Seaweed was one of the highest-ranking leaders in the Nak'waxda'xw tribe. As chief, he was a keeper of history, a leader in ceremonies, and someone who shared wealth. It was a tradition for chiefs to marry several times to the daughters of other chiefs. These marriages allowed Seaweed to gain special knowledge. This included legends, dances, songs, and family history. Seaweed had one son who lived, Joe Seaweed. He also gave Joe the Hilamas title when Joe was young.

Besides being a chief, Seaweed was also a fisherman and a master artist. Artists were often high-ranking members of a tribe, like Seaweed. This was because they held important cultural knowledge. Artists were very important in the community. They helped turn important stories and myths into visual artwork. Seaweed's art was mostly made for use during Native potlatch ceremonies. He also took part in these ceremonies as a singer, composer, dancer, and even a comedian.

The Potlatch Ban

Willie Seaweed's time as a professional artist happened when the Canadian government banned the potlatch ceremony in 1876. This ban lasted until 1951. Potlatch ceremonies involve big feasts, traditional performances, sharing wealth, special initiations, and giving gifts. Christian missionaries and the Canadian government thought these ceremonies were wrong. They believed potlatches stopped Indigenous people from adopting Western ways. If someone took part in a potlatch, they could be sent to prison for two to six months.

The Nak'waxda'xw tribe openly went against the ban. They continued to practice the potlatch ceremony. Their mountainous home helped the tribe protect their traditions. Because of this, they were seen as masters of the potlatch ceremonies. Art was a key part of these performances. It was a way to pass down knowledge to younger generations.

Seaweed's art was considered illegal because it was used in potlatch ceremonies. His masks helped tell stories. Some masks even had moving jaws or hidden wooden hair that could change during a performance. The Kwakwaka'wakw's winter Hamatsa ceremony was very detailed. Most Native artwork, including Seaweed's, was meant to be an active part of these ceremonies. Seaweed's personal effort to keep making art during the potlatch ban was very important. It helped preserve the traditional Kwakwaka'wakw culture.

Artistic Style

Seaweed's art is one of the most recognizable from the Northwest Coast. He followed the traditions of artists like Charles James and Mungo Martin. He made traditional objects in the Kwakwaka'wakw style. But he made them "fantastic and flamboyant." This influenced Indigenous art for many years after him.

Seaweed was considered a master Kwakwaka'wakw artist because he used traditional methods in a very skilled and precise way. He carved totem poles, coppers (special shields), headdresses, drums, rattles, and masks. He also painted house fronts. He used special shapes like ovoids (oval-like shapes) and U-shapes. He also decorated his art with curving outlines. These were all part of Kwakwaka'wakw design rules. Most of Seaweed's works were made for ceremonies. But some were given as gifts or sold for low prices. People said Seaweed never refused a request to make something.

Like other Northwest Coast artists, Seaweed did not sign his artwork. However, you can tell his work by his special techniques. Seaweed used tools like a compass and a straightedge. This helped him make very precise and balanced designs. His carving was so accurate that the surfaces were smooth and perfect. Small pencil lines can sometimes be seen on the back of his objects. These lines show how he worked. He also often painted the inside of his masks, not just the outside. This helps researchers identify his work.

Seaweed's artworks are best identified by his eye technique. He made three perfect circles using a compass for the eyes. You can still see the tiny holes made by the compass point on his surviving pieces. He often traced the eye with a red eyelid line. This made his work stand out from other artists of his time.

In the 1920s, Seaweed worked with Chief George Hunt Sr., Charley George Sr., and George Walkus. Together, they helped create a new Kwakwaka'wakw style. This group of artists was known as the "Kwakwaka'wakw Four." They often painted the base of a piece white. Then they added shiny enamel paints, mostly black and red, but also green, yellow, brown, and blue. Early in his career, Seaweed used natural mineral pigments. Later, he started using commercial paints. You can see this change in his remaining artworks.

Today, there are more than 120 known examples of Seaweed's work. About two-thirds of these are masks. His masks usually fit into three types: Hamatsa (Cannibal Raven), Atlakam (Spirits of the Forest), and Tsonoqua (Cannibal Grandmother). He is thought to have created most of his art between 1940 and 1945. The oldest mask we have is from 1917, and the newest is from 1955. As of 1983, five of his masks were still being used by the Nak'waxda'xw tribe.

Hamatsa Crooked Beak Mask (1940s)

Willie Seaweed is most famous for his Hamatsa Crooked Beak Mask. This mask shows the Crooked Beak monster from a Kwakwaka'wakw story. It would have been used in one of the most important parts of the potlatch ceremony. A member of the Kwakwaka'wakw tribe would wear the mask tilted upward. They would dance and move the beak open and shut.

The mask is clearly the Crooked Beak monster because of the hooked shape above its jaw. It also has an open mouth and large red nostrils. This is Seaweed's most famous mask because of two fancy curved shapes. These are added above and below the beak. These decorations, along with the carving style, shapes, and colors, show Seaweed's unique artistic touch.

Influence

The artistic legacy of the Kwakwaka'wakw artists, especially Willie Seaweed, continued through their children. Charley George Jr., Charley G. Walkus, and Joe Seaweed carried on this artistic and cultural tradition. It has continued into today's new generation of Northwest Coast artists. Their artistic methods were mostly similar. However, the new generation sometimes went back to using natural pigments instead of commercial paints.

Joe Seaweed learned from his father, as was the custom for Northwest Coast artists. Because of this, his style is very similar to Seaweed's. In fact, it can sometimes be hard to tell their artworks apart. Father and son also worked on some pieces together. Charley G. Walkus's masks show compass eye markings and smooth insides. These features reflect Seaweed's methods. These modern artists are often called the Blunden Harbour School or Blunder Harbour-Smith Inlet Style today.

Selected Collections

• Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA
• Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, QC
• Central Washington University collection, Ellensburg, WA
• Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO
• Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI
• Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
• McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, ON
• Menil Collection, Houston, TX
• Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
• Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Vancouver, BC
• Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC
• Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC