Weaving Biography of Todd DeVries In 1999 while staying at a friend’s cabin, Todd had a unique experience much like a vision. The evening was drawing to a close and it was about time he got around to starting a fire in the wood stove so he could cook something for dinner. He looked out the picture window of the living room and expected to see the vegetable garden plot and cedar trees around it; instead the window appeared to be a silvery painting. In this painting, the moon was shining full, through a forest of cedar trees making the whole scene silvery. In the picture too stood an old woman on a forked path, with a staff in her right hand, her silver hair flogarwin all around her. Todd was sort of surprised, awed and even stuck his head out the side door and looked around outside for the image and then again inside at the window. Her image didn’t fade and he asked her what her name was, with no reply. So Todd decided to stay quiet and bowed his head for a moment, when he looked up, her image and the forest faded, showing the vegetable garden.
No yet knowing then what this vision meant, Todd forgot about it until after the pole raising celebration in 2001 at the Heritage Museum in Skidegate. A Haida woman encouraged him to find out the meaning of the vision and asked him to get bark. Since then, Todd has been weaving cedar bark baskets. In 2005 during the Island Spirit Rising Logging Protest on Haida Gwaii, Todd learned the traditional Haida twill weaving technique from Sherri Dick of Old Massett.
Today, Todd mainly weaves various size baskets, including a water bottle basket holder, traditional Haida Hats, contemporary hats, very little carving and drawings. He is open to weaving commission and custom orders as well. Todd Devries was born a Haida in Surrey, BC to Shirley Tranter. A grandson of Nonni Molly Yorke and great-grandson of Nonni Mary and Louisa Dixon of the Tsiij Git’Anee clan. In 2008 Todd received his Haida name; “ith kil gaa” and holds the name Gannyaa designate.
He currently lives in Haida Gwaii and can be reached via e-mail: gannyaa@gmail.com or phone (250) 626-3217. Haw’aa!
