“GIG KALAS”

Born in 1972, Smith came from a small village called Gilford Island: the Kwicksutaineuk band of the Kwaguilth nation. In 1976 the family name, “Gig kalas”, was passed onto Peter during a family potlatch.

Peter Smith’s interests in the arts began at a young age. He started drawing at the age of seven. The Kwaguilth culture of carving masks, dancing, and story telling has had an important impact on Smtih. At the age of four he became a dancer in his late grandmother’s potlatch. Currently, he is the Coordinator of the Kwaguilth Cultural Dancers dance troupe. Until recently, his background as a carver has centered around carving masks for ceremonial dance purposes.

Smith began his training first under the tutelage of his late uncle Walter ‘Long John’ Smith, and later continued his education with Sam Johnson. Peter Smith is now apprenticing under Kwaguilth carver Simon Dick. In November of 1998, Simon gave Peter the honor of dancing his transformation mask for the opening of the show “Down from the Shimmering Sky” - Masks of the Northwest Coast at the Portland Art Museum.