Florence Davidson

Florence Edenshaw Davidson
Jadał q'egəngá
Florence Davidson weaves a spruce root hat c. 1976. Photo by Ulli Steltzer
Born	(1896-09-15)September 15, 1896 Masset, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia
Died	December 13, 1993(1993-12-13) (aged 97)
Nationality	Haida, Canadian First Nations
Known for	Traditional basketry and button blankets; consultant on Haida language
Notable work	During My Time: Florence Edenshaw Davidson, a Haida Woman
Spouse	Robert Davidson (1880–1969)
Children	13 children, Daughter, Primrose Adams
Father	Charles Edenshaw
Relatives	Grandsons, Reg Davidson and Robert Davidson

Florence Edenshaw Davidson (1896–1993) was a Canadian First Nations artist from Haida Gwaii. She created basketry and button blankets and was a respected elder in her village of Masset, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.

Early life

Florence Edenshaw was born in Masset on September 15, 1896, the daughter of the Haida artist Charles Edenshaw (Chief Idɨnsaw) and his wife Isabella (K'woiyəng). She was given the Haida name Jadał q'egəngá ("Story Maid"). As a child, she help her mother to sew button blankets.

She was of the Raven moiety, of the Y'akwə'lanas lineage, and of the Shark House (Q'ad Nas), with crests that included Shark, Two-Finned Killerwhale, and Brown Bear.

Personal life

She married Robert Davidson (1880–1969), a Haida, on February 23, 1911, and they had 13 children. Her daughter Primrose Adams, also an artist, received the Creative Lifetime Achievement Award for First Nations' Art in 2011.

Career

Davidson became renowned for her blankets and for her spruce-root and cedar baskets.

In the 1960s she was consultant on Haida culture and Masset history to the writer Christie Harris, author of Raven's Cry. She was also a major consultant on Haida language to John Enrico.

She became well known through her collaborative autobiography written with the anthropologist Margaret B. Blackman, published in 1982.

Death and legacy

Davidson died December 13, 1993. Her artistic legacy continues with her grandsons, the brother Reg Davidson and Robert Davidson, who are woodcarvers and sculptors.

Further reading

• Blackman, Margaret B. (1982; rev. ed., 1992) During My Time: Florence Edenshaw Davidson, a Haida Woman. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 9780295959436
• Harris, Christie (1966) Raven's Cry. New York: Atheneum. (Revised edition, Vancouver, Douglas & McIntyre, 1992.)
• Jensen, Doreen, and Polly Sargent (1986) Robes of Power: Totem Poles on Cloth. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press. ISBN 9780774802642
• 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. ISBN 9780888944184