CBC Archives

You must sign in to leave a comment on this clip.

1980: Prince Charles unveils Reid sculpture

Broadcast Date: April 2, 1980

"In Haida legend, it was the raven who, by opening up the clamshell, inadvertently shaped the destiny of the Haida world," explains reporter Karin Wells. She's giving some background to describe sculptor Bill Reid's latest creation, a complex sculpture called The Raven and the First Men. In this 1980 CBC Radio clip, we hear Prince Charles officially unveiling Reid's impressive new sculpture at the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology.

1980: Prince Charles unveils Reid sculpture

• To learn more about sculptor Bill Reid, please see the topic The Life and Legend of Bill Reid.

• The Bill Reid Foundation's website says that The Raven and the First Men depicts the story of human creation: "According to Haida legend, the Raven found himself alone one day on Rose Spit beach in Haida Gwaii (also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands). He saw an extraordinary clamshell and protruding from it were a number of small human beings. The Raven coaxed them to leave the shell to join him in his wonderful world. Some of the humans were hesitant at first, but they were overcome by curiosity and eventually emerged from the partly open giant clamshell to become the first Haida."

• Prince Charles's visit to Canada in 1980 included stops in Ottawa, Vancouver and Victoria. The visit lasted from March 30 to April 3.

1980: Prince Charles unveils Reid sculpture

Medium: Radio

Program: Arts National

Broadcast Date: April 2, 1980

Guest(s): Prince Charles, George MacDonald, Bill Reid

Reporter: Karin Wells

Duration: 8:10

Photo: Photo by Joe Goldberg, Haida sculpture used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 generic licence.

Last updated:
Oct. 28, 2009