Bill Reid Foundation

XHUWAJI / HAIDA GRIZZLY BEAR


Banknote Image	Original image upon which the banknote is based

The Haida Grizzly Bear design originated as a ceremonial drum created by Bill Reid and was produced by the Sam family of Ahousat, British Columbia in 1988. The drum is now a part of the Artists for Kids permanent collection. In 1990, in collaboration with print maker Terra Bonnieman, Bill Reid refined the original design of Xhuwaji / Haida Grizzly Bear to create a serigraph of which copies were sold to raise funds for the Artists for Kids Trust.

The Artists for Kids Trust was established in 1989 through a generous partnership between some of Canada’s finest artists and the North Vancouver School District. Its mission, through the sale of original prints created by its patron artists, is to build an art education legacy for the children of British Columbia.

The male grizzly bear was a favourite image of Bill Reid, and he used it in his jewellery designs and sculpture. The round image of Xhuwaji / Haida Grizzly Bear symbolizes strength and shows the grizzly bear in the traditional Haida colours of red and black. The bear’s large flaring nostrils attest to its fierce character and the protruding tongue symbolizes the oral nature of the Haida people.

The illustration used for the $20 note was coloured in yellow and orange for security, technical, and aesthetic reasons.

Photo: Artists For Kids Trust.