Tony Hunt Sr. (1942-2017) was a world-renowned artist and ambassador of Indigenous knowledge. He is most famous for his KwaGulth style paintings cedar wood carvings and totem poles. Born in the Kwakwaka’wakw community of Alert Bay, Tony was a hereditary chief of the Kwakwaka’wakw through his maternal line. His artwork reflected the stories, kinship and connection of his people with the land. In 2010, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
Hunt came from a family of renowned artists. He trained with his maternal grandfather, Chief Mungo Martin (1979-1962), who was the principal carver at the Royal B.C. Museum and an important figure in the Northwest Coast style of art. Tony's father, Henry Hunt, was Martin’s assistant, and Tony his protégé. After his grandfather's death, Tony became his father's assistant. He was taught in the traditional ways that upheld his people’s culture in language, dance, iconography and the practice of the potlatch. His two brothers, Richard and Stanley Hunt , are also professional carvers, as was his son, Tony Hunt Jr. (1961-2017).
Together with his family, Hunt designed and created hundreds of totem poles across Canada, the United States, and around the world. Locally, his work can also be found at Thunderbird Park and the big house at the Royal B.C. Museum, and at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
