CULTURAL GROUP:
Haida

BORN:
1924 (d. 1991)

BIRTHPLACE:
Old Massett, Haida Gwaii

Claude Davidson was the Chief of the village of Dadens. He was the grandson of renowned Haida artist, Charles Edenshaw, and the son of cultural leader and canoe-builder, Robert Davidson Sr. Claude was an established argillite carver, and his sons are acclaimed artists, Robert Davidson and Reg Davidson. He began carving relatively late in life, during the 1950s, after spending his youth as a fisherman. Claude began in yellow cedar, but quickly turned to argillite, the much sought-after slate-like stone from Haida Gwaii. A pivotal event in Claude's life involved hiking up Slatechuck Mountain, the major source of argillite on the islands, with his dad in 1944.