Walawidi


The son of Hereditary Chief George Hunt and Mary Henderson Hunt, Tom D. Hunt is a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation who was born in Victoria in 1964. Tom began apprenticing with his father at the age of twelve and later worked with his brother George Hunt Jr. When entering his teenage years Tom spent several summers in Campbell River working with his maternal grandfather the late Sam Henderson. During that stage of his development of Kwakwaka’wakw art style, Tom learned the artistic style of the ‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation (Blunden Harbour).

With the family ties in Campbell River and Fort Rupert, Tom’s strength is the knowledge of the Kwakwaka’wakw history which he shares through the art works he creates. Tom’s families are active in the potlatch system which gives Tom appreciation of the preparation of completed masks which will be shown at a potlatch.

In 1983 he moved to his home village of Fort Rupert (Tsaxis) on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. There he worked as an assistant to his uncle Calvin Hunt, owner and operator of the Copper Maker Gallery. This apprenticeship was an important period in Tom’s development as a versatile and accomplished artist. He moves comfortably from massive wood sculptures to very small, intricate pieces. Tom has works in collections worldwide and he continues to produce pieces from his home in Fort Rupert.

Commissions and Projects
1984 - 31’ ft. totem pole for the Museum of American Indian in Manhattan, New York, sponsored by the IBM corporation.
1985 - 25’ ft. Dzunuk'wa Feast Dish for the Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec, accompanied with carved ladles, spoons, and lidded bowls, assisted with Calvin Hunt and John Livingston.
1988 - Raven transformation costume for the Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec assisted with Calvin Hunt.
- Sea eagle Costume for the Campbell River Museum, Campbell River, B.C. assisted with Calvin Hunt.
- 25’ ft, 20 ft., and 15’ ft. totem poles for the Tokyo Land Corporation which were raised in the Asumigaoka Park, Asumigaoka District, Chuba City assisted with Calvin Hunt.
1989 - “Tuxwid” dance screen for the Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon.
1990 - 25’ft. totem pole restoration carved by the late Willie Seaweed assisted with Calvin Hunt.
1991 - Raven transformation mask commissioned by the National Tourism Association assisted with John Livingston.
1992 - Sea Bear and Whale totem pole commissioned by the Canadian Brewing Company assisted with John Livingston and Calvin Hunt.
1993 - 32’ft. foot canoe named the “Maxkwala’ogwa” in honor of the late Emma Hunt (grandmother) wife of the late Chief Thomas Hunt, assisted with Calvin Hunt and Mervyn Child.
1996 - 23’ ft. totem pole in memory of the Johnson Family feast in Rivers Inlet, B.C.
1998 - 10’ ft. totem pole raised and commissioned by the Thunderbird Mall in Port Hardy, B.C.
1998 - 50 ft. totem pole to commemorate the dowry of the Henderson Family that had been passed to George Hunt Sr. when he married Mary Henderson (eldest of 15 children born to Sam and Mary Henderson).
1999 - Quintana Gallery, Portland Or. “Honoring Traditions: The Art of the Henderson Family”.
2004 Spirit Wrestler, Vancouver, BC Group Exhibition
2004 Quintana Galleries, Portland, OR “Potlatch Gifts”