Calvin Hunt
Chief Tlasutiwalis, Kwagu'l, Fort Rupert
Hereditary Chief Na-soom-yees, Mowochaht,
Friendly Cove
Calvin Hunt, born in 1956,is the youngest son of Kwagu’l Hereditary Chief Thomas
Hunt, and
Emma, the daughter of a great Mowochaht Chief and Shaman, Dr. Billy, and grandson of
renowned carver Mungo Martin and grandmother, Abayah.Born into a wealth of traditional
values, Calvin started woodcarving at the age of 12. From 1972 to 1981, Calvin carved full
time as an apprentice with Tony Hunt, Sr. (Arts of the Raven Gallery, Victoria, BC.).
Moving
to his ancestral home of Fort Rupert in 1981.
In May 1988, he carved and raised the Hunt Pole in Fort Rupert, with the assistance of his
brothers, nephews and cousins, which is hereditarily owned by his oldest brother, George
Hunt Sr. He also carved a memorial grave figure for his father at the Fort Rupert
cemetery.
These poles were the first such poles raised in the village in approximately 70 years.
With the resurgence of canoe building in 1993, Calvin and his nephew, Mervyn Child, carved
a
32' Northern Style canoe which represented the Kwagu'l Nation at "Quatuwas"
canoe
gathering in Bella Bella. This canoe, named after his mother, "Maxwalaogwa",
belongs to the
Maxwalaogwa Canoe Society, formed by Calvin and his wife, Marie. Calvin has also carved
the 32'
Northern Style "I-Hos", and 40' Northern Style "Ugwamalis Gixdan",
with Mervyn's assistance.
He has helped with the carving of a Manka canoe, and a 37' West Coast Style canoe from
Quatsino. Calvin and Mervyn Child are currently carving a Head Canoe.
In 1995, during a potlatch given by Calvin and his brother, Ross Hunt Sr., he received his
Chief's name, from his wife's side of the family, "Tlasutiwalis". In July of
1998, he was seated
as the fourth primary Chief of the Mowachaht; the Hereditary Chieftainship, which belonged
to
his grandfather, Dr. Billy, of Tsuwana (Friendly Cove), his Chief s name being "Nas
soom yees".
Calvin continues working in wood, including canoe building; silk-screened prints, gold and
silver jewelry, as well as stone-carving.
