Chief Walter Harris was one of Canada’s most celebrated First Nations artists, being the recipient of both the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Visual Arts. [1] Harris was also an early student at the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art (‘Ksan), enrolling in 1969. [2] By 1972 (the same year this bracelet was made), Harris was a senior instructor in wood carving at ‘Ksan, a position he maintained until his retirement from the school in 1985. [3] Notably, Harris was also one of the ‘Ksan carvers who created the front door panels for the UBC Museum of Anthropology (now housed at the entrance of the museum shop). [4] Through his association with ‘Ksan and his decades-long art career, Harris was a very influential artist for several generations of contemporary Northwest Coast artists.

This elegant bracelet is an early work by Harris, and as previously mentioned, was created the same year that Harris began teaching at ‘Ksan. This silver bracelet depicts a formline Killer Whale, Harris’ primary crest. When looking straight at the cuff, the head of the Killer Whale is on the left side of the bracelet, wrapping around the bracelet to the right is a blowhole, pectoral fin, large salmon-trout head in the centre, dorsal fin, and flukes terminating on the right side of the cuff. The influences of Harris’ teachers, such as Bill Holm (1925-2020), Duane Pasco (1932-2024), and Doug Cranmer (Kwakwaka’wakw, 1927-2006) are all apparent in his design work on this bracelet.

1. Walter Harris: Chief, Artist, and Family Man. University of Northern British Columbia, https://web.unbc.ca/~nycel/Project/Walter Harris/History/life.htm. Accessed 28 July 2025.

2. Walter Harris Biography. UBC Museum of Anthropology Collection Online. https://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/person?person=1124&tab=biography. Accessed 28 July 2025.

3. Walter Harris: Chief, Artist, and Family Man. University of Northern British Columbia, https://web.unbc.ca/~nycel/Project/Walter Harris/History/life.htm. Accessed 28 July 2025.

4. Walter Harris Biography. UBC Museum of Anthropology Collection Online. https://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/person?person=1124&tab=biography. Accessed 28 July 2025.

Christopher W. Smith