Northwest Coast
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Eagle Ring
Philip Janze
Price upon request14K Yellow Gold, Cast, Engraved
Domed, Tapered
Width: 3/8″
Sizes 5.75 -
Qoluun (Beaver) Totem Pole
Lyle Wilson
Price upon requestYellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
120 x 10.75 x 8″
122 x 15 x 20″ (including base)
This GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA (totem pole) is a story of the GEE-GA-JOAUCH (Beaver Clan) coming to the HAISLA. The journey began in a Tlingit village called CLOONTHK — in the state now known as Alaska in the U.S.A. JUH-JEE-NEE was the HEY-MAS (chief) of his Tlingit Beaver Clan and his linage went back for generations. The name JUH-JEE-NEE means ‘Eagle”s Claws’ in the Tlingit language and the name was given to him by his father’s Tlingit Eagle Clan. JUH-JEE-NEE ’s family consisted of 10 brothers and sisters and when their WEE-WAY-ALTHLA (parents) died, the whole family was so consumed with grief they decided to leave their ancestral village.
Shortly after their WEE-WAY-ALTHLA’s funerals, the family paddled their GELWA (canoes) southwards seeking a new land and life. They were in no hurry — camping in bays and exploring different places. They lived off the land, often digging for JEE-QWA (clams) and JA-WA-LEE (cockles). When the tide was out, JUH-JEE-NEE’s MA-NES-OOT (brother), STA-OWSK was wading in the shallow water of a bay and saw a TAGWAH (octopus) swim into a hole beneath a large boulder. He reached into the hole to try and grab the TAGWAH and his hand was trapped by a giant scallop — a large clam-like creature. STA-OWSK’s hand was trapped so securely that neither he, nor his family, could free it.
When the tide came up poor STA-OWSK drowned — adding more grief to the band of Tlingit wanderers. After the tide went down, JUH-JEE-NEE cut off STA-OWSK’s arm and cremated his body. STA-OWSK’s ashes were put into a small GUH-YO-JEELTH (bentwood box).
JUH-JEE-NEE and his family continued their journey southwards; eventually arriving at the entrance of the Nass River — where the village of Gingolx (formally, Kincolith) is now situated. Welcomed, they stayed for awhile, enjoying the hospitality of the Gingolx people. GUDHAYKS, another of JUH-JEE-NEE’’s MA-NES-OOT, married a woman there — the Stuart family of Gingolx are the descendants of GUDHAYKS.
JUH-JEE-NEE’s group then continued their journey and ended up at a site now known as the home of Ts’msyen band of Lax Kw’alaams — although their stay was relatively short, they were welcomed. INSIPDEEGS, JUH-JEE-NEE’’s WA-GWAH (sister), married a Lax Kw’alaams man — their descendants are the Dudoward family.
Continuing their journey, eventually they came to the mouth of the Skeena River. Paddling further up the Skeena they met the Kitselas people — or as they call themselves today: Gitselasu: People of the Canyon. Again welcomed, they stayed long enough for another of JUH-JEE-NEE’’s WA-GWAH — JINJANSH — to marry a Gitselasu man.
At Kitselas, JUH-JEE-NEE captured a little JUM-MEE-NAS (squirrel); which became his pet. JUH-JEE-NEE kept the JUM-MEE-NAS on a string and it preceded him while he walked around. The Gitselasu told him of a place where fresh-water GWAAS (mussels) could be found. JUH-JEE-NEE’s party decided to seek out this place and the JUM-MEE-NAS seemed to know the way, and led them to what is now called Lakelse Lake — where they camped on a beach there.
The GA-GAY-JWILS (day) was sunny and warm as they dug for GWAAS and JUH-JEE-NEE remembered the drowning of STA-OWSK. He took the GUH-YO-JEELTH, containing STA-OWSK’s ashes, and put it on a log. JUH-JEE-NEE and his family, then mourned for their MA-NES-OOT.
As they mourned, it seemed as if the world mourned with them: the GA-GAY-JWILS (day) became GA-NULTH (night) as the GIZUA (sun) went into an eclipse. As the eclipse ended and daylight gradually returned, for no reason the GUH-YO-JEELTH, containing STA-OWSK’s ashes fell off the log — scattering them on the beach.
As JUH-JEE-NEE’s family watched the eclipse end, more strange and supernatural events were witnessed: a giant QOLUUN (beaver) known as a KWUTH-HECK swam amidst a large patch of foam on the lake’s surface; a large MOO-MOO-GA-JOO (halibut) appeared (normally a saltwater fish) in the fresh-water lake; and a KWA-KWALK — a large man-like being holding a GWULS-GEAUCH-GAW (otter).
When everything finally disappeared, JUH-JEE-NEE’s party left the lake, and the JUM-MEE-NAS led them overland and southwards, until they got to the upper reaches of the GICH-LAA-LEES-LA (Kitimat River). They followed GICH-LAA-LEES-LA downstream until encountering a HAISLA at their village — located near the mouth of GICH-LAA-LEES-LA.
The HAISLA welcomed JUH-JEE-NEE’’s party. After telling the story of their adventures, JUH-JEE-NEE and his family were invited to join the HAISLA people. When JUH-JEE-NEE accepted the invitation, the HULL-CHEY-CHU-NOAUCH (Killer Whale Clan) gave JUH-JEE-NEE’s family a full-size GYUU-AUCH (bighouse) in order to make them feel truly welcome.
JUH-JEE-NEE’’s family settled into the HAISLA community — intermarrying with the HAISLA. JUH-JEE-NEE’’s leadership skills eventually led him to become the head HEY-MAS (chief) of the HAISLA. JUH-JEE-NEE kept his “original” Tlingit name and adopted the things they witnessed during their journey to use as family names and crests.
Down though the centuries the original Tlingit name of JUH-JEE-NEE has become JASEE in the language of the HAISLA. Undoubtedly the two vastly different languages of the Tlingit and HAISLA played a role in the changes — but it still means ‘Eagle’s Claws’.
When JASEE himself, commissioned a GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA for the GEE-GA-JOAUCH, these crest-figures were carved on it: 2 QOLUUN at the bottom; KWA-KWALK holding a GWULS-GEAUCH-GAW; MOO-MOO-GA-JOO; GIZUA. The JUM-MEE-NAS was honoured by placing it on the very top, because it was the JUM-MEE-NAS that led JUH-JEE-NEE’’s family to their new home with the HAISLA.
In addition, for my contemporary version of the GEE-GA-JOAUCH GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA, there is an old-style GELWA carved with symbols representing the people that welcomed them during the ancient, southward journey of JUH-JEE-NEE’’s family. The GELWA is placed between the KWA-KWALK and MOO-MOO-GA-JOO and carved with: a Skull and Scalp representing Gingolx; a Rose representing Lax Kw’alaams; and Grizzly Bear representing Kitselas.
This inclusion is meant to highlight the ancient family connections between the present-day HAISLA and our neighbours — something which is not often acknowledged — or indeed known — in today’s times but is part of the whole story of the HAISLA and the GEE-GA-JOAUCH.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Hummingbird Ring
Frank Paulson
Price upon request18K Yellow Gold, 18K White Gold Rails, Engraved
Cut-Out Design
Width: 7/16″
Size: 8.25 -
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Bear Basket
Isabel Rorick RCA
Price upon requestSpruce root, Acrylic paintHand-painted by Robin Rorick
Isabel Rorick comes from a long line of weavers, including her great-grandmother Isabella Edenshaw; her grandmother, Selina Peratrovich; her mother, Primrose Adams, and her Aunt, Delores Churchill. Using the Haida language of form, Isabel incorporates many traditional designs into her baskets and hats, like that of the dragonfly, raven’s tail, and spider web or slug trail.
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Watchmen, Eagles, Frog & Human Totem Pole
Garner Moody
Price upon requestRed Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
For inquiries on totem pole commissions, please click here.
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Raven with Light Feast Bowl
Lionel Samuels
Price upon requestArgillite, Abalone shell
Lionel Samuels’ Raven with Light Feast Bowl is a stunning example of his workmanship in argillite. He created the feast bowl in the form of a Raven, embellished with inlays of abalone shell. Lionel takes the Raven, revered as the hero, creator, trickster and transformer, as his family crest symbol. This feast bowl is a beautiful tribute to the important crest figure.
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Raven & Frog Totem Pole
Don Yeomans
Price upon requestRed Cedar Wood
For inquiries on totem pole commissions, please click here.
Don Yeoman’s Raven & Frog Totem Pole demonstrates the artist’s mastery of cedar wood, particularly in his depth of carving. Yeoman’s decision to leave the pole unpainted serves to utilize a more minimalist approach and highlight the rich beauty of the wood.
Cedar wood is strong, lightweight, and extremely versatile. These qualities lend well to carving, and result in a wood that can be used to create a wide variety of objects.
The Raven is regarded as the Hero, Creator, Transformer, and the most important of all creatures to the coastal First Nations peoples. He is also known as the Trickster because of his wit and sense of humor. His legendary antics were often motivated by insatiable greed, and he loved to tease, to cheat, to woo and to trick. In the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, Raven is credited with releasing the Sun, and creating the Moon, Stars and the Universe. In Haida culture, Raven is also said to have discovered mankind in a clamshell.
Frogs symbolize new life, good fortune, stability, and communication. They are associated with great wealth and prosperity. As a creature that lives both in water and on land, the Frog is revered for its adaptability, knowledge, and ability to inhabit both natural and supernatural realms. Frogs are the primary spirit helpers of shamans, usually representing the common ground or voice of the people. As a prominent sharer of knowledge, Frog is often shown in artistic depictions as touching its tongue to another figure in an expression of sharing.
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Raven Stealing the Light Basket
Isabel Rorick RCA
Price upon requestSpruce root, Acrylic paintHand-painted by Alfred Adams (Isabel’s brother)
Isabel Rorick comes from a long line of weavers, including her great-grandmother Isabella Edenshaw; her grandmother, Selina Peratrovich; her mother, Primrose Adams, and her Aunt, Delores Churchill. Using the Haida language of form, Isabel incorporates many traditional designs into her baskets and hats, like that of the dragonfly, raven’s tail, and spider web or slug trail.
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Gax (Raven): Shamanic Version of Light
Lyle Wilson
Price upon requestMarine Ivory, Abalone shell
For more details on shipping Ivory outside of Canada, please click here and then click open the Shipping section and scroll down to read more on Shipping Restrictions.
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Tide Walker
Ben Davidson
Price upon requestSerigraph, Edition of 77
2017
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
Ben Davidson’s Tide Walker is a remarkably expressive serigraph by one of the Northwest Coast’s foremost artists. The blend of traditional and contemporary formlines, as well as the use of rich and saturated colour, joins to create an aesthetic that is distinctly a Ben Davidson work.
Below are the artist’s own words regarding this piece:
“Tide Walker exists in the space between the land and the ocean. From afar, he appears as a dorsal fin, so we imagine his body beneath the waves. We are so desperate to be the first to see the killer whale that we allow our minds to complete his story before we have time to determine the truth. We are so swiftly lured into believing the surface story that we rarely take time to consider what lies beneath.” (Davidson, 2017).
Ben Davidson is an internationally-renowned contemporary First Nations artist. He is the son of Robert Davidson, also of international fame. Ben stays true to his Haida ancestry, while always pushing the boundaries of traditional artwork.
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Tsimshian Journey Drum
Henry Green
Price upon requestHide, Acrylic paint
Stand is available at an additional cost
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Where Air Meets Water: The Eagle and Killerwhale Panel
Corrine Hunt
Price upon requestBone ash, graphite and aluminum composite
Limited edition of 9
Please ask us about custom orders
In this panel design Corrine Hunt has propelled her use of the medium in such a way that she invites a ‘contemporary’ perception of form. The panel is made from a composite of bone ash, graphite, and aluminum; the organic black colour coming from the ash. The panel itself has been cut from a technically controlled machine, and then has been hand-finished and polished to a luminous sheen.
Corrine’s concept for the panel is based upon the physical depiction of air meeting water; a drop of water which creates a swirl as the air affects its surface. The whorl-shape created by this abstract notion has produced the forms of an Eagle, on the upper left side of the panel, and an Orca; it’s body elusively curving around the right side of the panel. Corrine has continued to play with the whirlpool concept by introducing echoing shapes and forms that reflect across the surface of the panel and invite the viewer to explore the “water’s” surface.
In First Nations art and culture, the Eagle is seen as the symbol of status, power, peace, and friendship, whilst the Killerwhale is revered for its powerful hunting ability and is considered to be the sea manifestation of the Wolf. Both in legend and in the wild, the Killerwhale guards its family for a lifetime. Again, the artist is working around the model of “Air meeting Water”, both visually and in her choice of crest figures.
The artist’s intention in her design is to mesmerize the viewer; she combines traditional formlines of the Northwest Coast with the interpretive concepts of post modernism, allowing the eye to move seamlessly and always see something new.
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Killerwhale Ring
Corrine Hunt
Price upon request14K White Gold, Sapphire, Engraved
Width: 5/16″
Size: 7.5 -
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Eagle’s Play Glass Rattle
Susan Point RCA
Price upon requestHand blown glass, Red Cedar wood base
This beautiful contemporary rattle is made with hand-blown glass, an example of Susan Point’s balance between traditional and contemporary styles. It demonstrates her ability to diversify, yet reveals her respect for tradition and ancient mythology. Based on an ancient implement, a spindle whorl was used for spinning wool into yarn for the process of creating fine woolen blankets.
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Eagle & Killerwhale Bangle Bracelet
Corrine Hunt
Price upon request14K Yellow Gold, Engraved
Solid Bangle, Heavy Gauge