Chief Tony Hunt

Chief Tony Hunt was born in 1942 in the village of T’saxis (Fort Rupert) and is the hereditary chief of the Kwakwaka'wakw People of Fort Rupert and of the Dzawada’enuxw People from the Kingcome Inlet. Tony Hunt Sr. is a world-renowned Kwakwaka'wakw Master Carver who learnt from his late father, Master Carver Chief Henry Hunt as well as from his adoptive Grandfather late Master Carver Chief Mungo Martin. Together these three were the creators of Victoria’s famous Thunderbird Park. Tony also designed the Hunt Family Big House within the Royal Victoria Museum (Royal B.C. Museum) as well as the Kwakwaka'wakw ceremonial big house at Fort Rupert, the largest traditional native structure ever built in the Pacific Northwest.

Besides creating beautiful masks, carvings, paintings and jewellery, Tony Hunt Senior has designed and carved close to one hundred large totem poles, which is probably more than any other native artist, present or past has achieved. His art is highly collectible and valued by museums, communities, corporations and collectors around the world.

Among some of the honours awarded to him outside his traditional culture are: The Order of British Columbia, two Honorary Doctorates, The Commonwealth Medal of Honor, as well as the Victoria, B.C. Citizen of the Year 2011.