Robert Stanley

Northwest Coast Native Artist Robert Stanley from Nisga’a Nation

Nisga’a Nation

(1958-2011)

Robert Stanley was born April 11, 1958, in Gingolx, British Columbia.

Gingolx, the “Place of Skulls”, is a Nisga’a Village in the Nass River Valley. Gingolx is one of four Nisga’a villages that make up the Nisga’a Nation. The community itself has four clans which are Killerwhale, Eagle, Raven, and Wolf. The name Gingolxis comprised of two words from the Nisga’a language; Gin meaning “to give”, and golx meaning “place of scalps” words meaning “place or rock of scalps.” When attacked by other nations, or when their land was intruded, the people of Gingolx fought back, if they were successful they hung their enemies’ skulls on sticks, lining them up along the river as a warning.

Robert was taught to carve cedar, gold & silver from his father, Murphy Stanley another recognized Nisga’a artist. Robert’s signature was ‘Res’ and he usually added the date the piece was created.

Robert Stanley passed away in October 2011.