Norman Tait

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Norman Tait (b. 1941) is a Canadian First Nations artist and totem pole carver from the Nisga'a nation of northwestern British Columbia.

He was born in Kincolith (Gingolx) on the Nass River in B.C., the son of Josiah Tait, also a carver and the great-grandson of Chief Alfred Watson Mountain, Sganism Sim'oogit.

He is a member of the Laxsgiik (Eagle clan) and holds or has held the hereditary titles Na'ax-lax, Gawaakhl, and Naawootkw Lik'inskw lax galts'ap, the last meaning "Grizzly Bear Coming onto the Village."

He began carving in 1970, and sought out Nisga'a artifacts that he could study as there were no living Nisga'a master carvers for him to study. He later studyied under the tutelage of the Haida carvers Freda Diesing and Gerry Marks.

He has carved poles standing in Port Edward, Lax Kw'alaams, and Vancouver, British Columbia, and, in 1983, at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Osaka, Japan, and Germany, as well as a great many private collections. In 1992, Norman raised a totem in the Royal families Bushy Park in London England. Norman also raised a totem pole to commemorate the opening of the Nisga'a Lisims Government building in New Aiyansh, B.C., "Goothl Lisims", which translates as "the heart of the Nass".

Norman was the first carver to host a one-man show during a time when exhibitions were traditionally showing casing several artists at a time. Norman put together 125 pieces for this exhibit at the Museum of Anthropology in 1977.

Norman is known for the realistic detailing of his sculptured carving, moon masks, 2dimensional design doors, and jewellry.

Norman has taught his younger brothers, Alver Tait, Robert "Chip" Tait, late Ken Tait, and his nephews Ron Telek, Wayne Young, and his children the late Isaac Tait, Valerie Tait and most recently his grandson, Kristopher D. Stewart.

[edit] Sources

Jensen, Doreen, and Polly Sargent (1986) Robes of Power: Totem Poles on Cloth. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Macnair, Peter L., Alan L. Hoover, and Kevin Neary (1984) The Legacy: Tradition and Innovation in Northwest Coast Indian Art. Vancouver, B.C.: Douglas & McIntyre.