BACK TO NINSTINTS
Ltd. Ed. prints

HISTORY OF NINSTINTS
(Ninstence, Sung Gwai)

BACK TO NINSTINTS
miniatures

Spirits  (4)

Ninstints is the earliest recorded Haida village of the Southern Queen Charlotte Islands & was originally called Sung Gwai. It is located in a sheltered bay on the Eastern side of Anthony Island, which is a relatively small island  at the south western tip of the Queen Charlottes.

It was used only as an outpost after the late 1800's following a devastating epidemic of smallpox which almost totally depopulated the village. In 1981 Ninstints was declared a World Heritage site - of global importance to the history of Mankind, by the UNESCO committee in Sydney, Australia.
Many of the totem poles remain in the village and are now protected by law. Others are on display in museums and still others have returned to the earth, as was intended.

Judi Wild has captured the natural beauty of these ancient monuments. With the deepest respect for the ancient Haida carvers - she has portrayed their design work as accurately as she was able, using nothing more than a combination of a collection of old black & white photos mostly from the very early 1900's and her vivid imagination.

Tom Price
The last Chief of Ninstints

SpiritBear (1)

Painted Haida hat -     designed by Tom Price

Birds  (8)

Line drawing of the village of Ninstints

Wildlife (3)

Interior pole at back of House no. 17

Miniatures(22)

POLES OF NINSTINTS

This  Ninstints series of 7 has been accepted into the National Archives of Canada  It is an honor that Judi's  work has been recognized as having historical value.