Henry Hunt

Henry Hunt was a renowned Kwakwaka'wakw woodcarver and artist. He was born on October 16, 1923 in Fort Rupert, BC, where he worked as a logger and fisherman before becoming a full-time artist. In 1939, Henry married Helen Martin, daughter of preeminent Kwakwaka'wakw artist Mungo Martin. Henry and Helen had a number of children, including Henry Jr., Tony, Richard, and Stanley C. Hunt, all of whom went on to be respected artists in their own right. In 1954, stepfather Mungo was hired as head carver at the Royal British Columbia Museum's Thunderbird Park program, and Henry accompanied him as chief assistant. When Mungo passed away in 1962, Henry succeeded him as head carver -- a position he held until his son Richard took over in 1974. He is also a descendant of 19th century linguist and ethnologist George Hunt. Henry passed away on March 13, 1985.