Christie Lucy Harris

Background

Harris, Christie Lucy was born on November 21, 1907 in Newark. Daughter of Edward and Matilda (Christie) Irwin.

Education

Teachers certified, Provincial Normal School, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, 1925.

Career

She is best known for her portrayal of Haida First Nations culture in the 1966 novel Raven"s Cry. She was led to investigate Northwest Coast cultures after moving to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, in 1958 and writing a series of Canadian Broadcasting Company dramas on First Nations topics. She received a Canada Council grant to work with the Haida artist in researching the life and context of the great Haida carver Charles Edenshaw.

In this she worked closely with Wilson Duff and, in Masset, British Columbia, with Edenshaw"s daughter Florence Davidson.

Her 1975 book applies the "ancient astronaut" theories of Erich von Däniken to Northwest Coast oral histories. In 1973, she was awarded the Vicky Metcalf Award.

Three months after her death, the Christie Harris Illustrated Children"s Literature Prize was announced as a new British Columbia Book Prize category. Harris and illustrator Douglas created at least eight books published from 1972 to 1982.

One is The Trouble with Princesses (1980), which "retells stories about Northwest Coast princesses and compares them with similar Old World princesses".

Achievements

• Christie Lucy Harris has been listed as a notable Author by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member Writers' Union Canada (life).

Connections

Married Thomas A. Harris, February 13,1932. Children: Michael, Moira, Sheilagh, Brian, Gerald.

Father:

Edward Irwin

Mother:

Matilda (Christie) Irwin

Spouse:

Thomas A. Harris

child:

Michael Harris

child:

Sheilagh Harris

child:

Moira Harris

child:

Gerald Harris

child:

Brian Harris