Bear Bracelet

Lyle Wilson is a Haisla artist from Kitamaat village, which is near the town site of Kitamaat, British Columbia, Canada. The Haisla tribe is often referred to as Northern Kwakiutl, however, their historic artistic style has influences from various sources — notably Kwakiutl and Tsimshian, as well as developing distinctive qualities of their own. The name Kitamaat means “People of the Snow” and refers to the large amount of snow received by this region. Tsimshian people visiting the Haisla people in mid-winter arrived to see people emerging from longhouses completely buried by the snow so the name Kitamaat seemed an appropriate description.