Eagle Pendant
Availability: Only 1 available
by Lyle Wilson
Yew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This NEE-CHA-WA is an IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle).
Lyle Wilson 2024
Would you like to add a chain to this pendant? For available chain options at an additional cost, please click here.
1.75 x 1.5 x 0.5" (4.45 x 3.81 x 1.27cm)
CA$2,100.00
Only 1 available
Reserve this artwork- Description
- Additional Information
- Artist Bio
Yew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This NEE-CHA-WA is an IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle).
Lyle Wilson 2024
-
Hummingbird Ring
James McGuire
CA$1,320.0014K Yellow Gold, Engraved
Heavy Gauge, Domed
Width: 5/16″
Size: 6.5
-
Killerwhale Ring
Norman Bentley
CA$2,640.0014K Yellow Gold, 14K White Gold Rails, Engraved
Cut-Out Design
Width: 1/2″
Size: 6.75
-
Hawk Moon Pendant
Rick Adkins
Price upon request22K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Cast
Edition of 12
2007
-
Origins/Coalition Panel
Lyle Wilson
CA$9,500.00Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
This painting is my theory of the evolution of the Pacific Northwest Coast (PNC) OVOID. In 1874 a native informant told James G. Swan that the eyespots on the wings of a young BAGWANA (skate fish) is the original source of the OVOID. However, its eyespots are a solid circle with a fine line surrounding them.
So from that circular format the OVOID must have evolved into a more elongated and rectangular shape. The HULL-CHEY-NAUCH (orca) has solid white eyespots; some of which do resemble the elongated shape of an OVOID.
So to imply that connection, the BAGWANA’s tail is close to the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH’s blowhole.
The perimeter of an eye socket of a human CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA (human skull) has a squarish, elongated shape that is very close to the shape of a archaic OVOID. In the olden days dead people were put in a GUH-YO-JEELTH (bentwood box). These GUH-YO-JEELTH were then put up in a tree. Eventually it rotted away and everything fell to the ground — leaving the skeleton exposed, including the CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA.
So a GUH-YO-JEELTH with a painted CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA is beside the BAGWANA. On the GUH-YO-JEELTH’s lid is a series of OVOIDS showing the progression: circular, archaic and the classic OVOID. The classic OVOID has a upward bending bottom which differs from the flatter bottom of the archaic OVOID.
It required a human mind to put all these influences together, so on the bottom, below the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH, is a human hand — representing that long-ago PNC artist who first put everything together; allowing a long lineage of artists to follow the PNC art style.
Lyle Wilson 2024
-
Eagle Chief’s Staff
Lyle Wilson
CA$8,800.00Yellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
63.5 x 2.25 x 2.75″
64.75 x 9.75 x 9.75″ (including wood base)This is what the HAISLA call a SEE-GA-GUM (chief’s staff/cane) — sometimes referred to as a “Talking Stick”. In the olden days the
HEY-MAS (chief) had a carved SEE-GA-GUM — sometimes carved with just a single figure and sometimes with multiple figures. NUGWA (I/me) have carved a few SEE-GA-GUM and two of them are still in the HAISLA community at C’IMOTSA (KITAMAAT).In a potlatch, feast or any public event, a HEY-MAS would have a SEE-GA-GUM to display his clan crests to the attending people. As well, the SEE-GA-GUM was generally acknowledged to carry the authority of the clan and HEY-MAS. Thats’ why when it was passed to anyone else, they had the right to speak on behalf of the HEY-MAS and clan. That’s also why it became known as a “Talking Stick”.
NUGWA was born into the GEE-GA-JOAUCH (Beaver Clan) but was formally adapted into the IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan) at a very young age.
NUGWA thought it appropriate to have a SEE-GA-GUM visually “representing” the IKSDUQ’IYA in this exhibit.
NUGWA liked the “simplicity” of a single figure because it has an uncluttered look that exudes confidence — yet NUGWA also likes the act of carving so instead of leaving the shaft plain, NUGWA carved decorative spirals that give it more visual interest without compromising that “simplicity”.
Lyle Wilson 2024
-
Haisla Houseposts Transformed Totem Pole
Lyle Wilson
CA$45,500.00Yellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
This GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA (totem pole) is an “artistic amalgamation” based on the 4 large, traditional HAISLA ZUX˚UM (house-posts) in the collection of the UBC Museum of Anthropology (MOA).
The ZUX˚UM were collected by the Methodist missionary, Dr. G. H. Raley (stationed at KITAMAAT from 1893-1906). He collected them from an old HAISLA village site called WAYIGIWA.MIA’S — used seasonally as a fishing site on GICH-LAA-LEES-LA (Kitimat River). The attributed creation date of the ZUX˚UM is circa 1850.
Unfortunately Raley didn’t collect any information regarding the history of these four ZUX˚UM — other than identifying one as being a SAX (grizzly bear). NUGWA (I/me) also couldn’t collect any additional information since today’s HAISLA elders were far too young to remember anything specific; other than hearing Raley had a collection of “HAISLA stuff “, while others heard older HAISLA people sometimes mention the old village site.
All the ZUX˚UM are covered with a dark-brown substance that was probably once a clear, protective coating. It took ten days to examine — inch-by-inch — and draw, accurate renderings of what three of the ZUX˚UM originally looked like. The carvers’ original intentions are hidden beneath dark coatings, which emphasizes their sculptural appearance, but hides the painted details that initially gave the ZUX˚UM a much more lively and colourful appearance.
NUGWA did carve six-foot high DINYAS (red cedar) versions of 2 of these traditional ZUX˚UM — which NUGWA called: “QOLUUN (Beaver)” and “THUNDERBIRD”.
As a personal “repatriation” initiative NUGWA donated the newly carved QOLUUN ZUX˚UM to the local Haisla Community School — where it’s displayed today, presumably helping HAISLA students learn a bit more of their history.
NUGWA never did get around to carving new, full-size versions of the last two ZUX˚UM: “SWIMMING QOLUUN” and “SAX”. NUGWA decided it was time for another HAISLA carver to tackle those initiatives. Of course part of NUGWA still wanted to carve larger versions of both ZUX˚UM, but decided to include small versions of them in a “special manner”.
NUGWA decided to take advantage of modern artistic license and amalgamate all 4 of HAISLA ZUX˚UM — transforming the separate house-posts into a single, model GLA-GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA carved from KWANALAS (yellow cedar).
Although some may disagree with this modern approach, NUGWA look at it as an artistic decision that departs from, but still respects tradition.
Lyle Wilson 2024
-
Qolun (Beaver) Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$1,200.00Sterling silver, Repousse, Chased, Engraved, Textured
2015