Crest Figures | Northwest Coast

The cultural mythology of the Northwest Coast is represented by the various crest figures illustrated in First Nations art. During the traditional winter potlatch, they honoured these crest and ancestral beings through retelling of stories, performing song and dance, and proclaiming their status.

Individual nations align themselves with specific crest figures and, today, they are more accustomed to borrowing and adapting them for their own purposes. Some artists continue to depict figures that are rightfully theirs and there are others who work outside of their tribal affiliations.

For more extensive write-ups or stories on specific works of art, please contact us directly.