Father of Haida manga

Haida Art, by Thomas Granade

Haida Art, Photo by Thomas Granade

Red, a comic by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Courtesy of Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Red, a comic by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Courtesy of Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Manga, iStockphoto

Manga, iStockphoto

Story adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul
Level 2
March 2010

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a Haida artist.
He was born in Prince Rupert, B.C. in 1954.
But Michael was raised in Haida Gwaii
The old name for Haida Gwaii is Queen Charlotte Islands*.

Why did Michael start drawing manga?

One day, some Japanese students visited Haida Gwaii, B.C.
They told Michael that his art looked like
Japanese comic books.
These books are called “manga”.

Soon after, Michael started to retell old stories.
He mixes traditional Haida art
and new Japanese animation.

Michael’s books have won many awards.

Michael does other art, too.
He works with metal and wood.
His exhibits are in Canada and all over the world.
Click here to see his work.

Michael-Nicoll-Yahgulanaas

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas
Photo by Glenn Baglo, The Vancouver Sun

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