Hawk Pendant
Availability: Only 1 available
by Lyle Wilson
Boxwood, 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.
As far as NUGWA know the DA-DA-GWA (hawk) isn’t a specific crest belonging to any clan; NUGWA know of it as something that’s been portrayed in Pacific Northwest Coast art and have long admired it as a subject.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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1.75 x 1.5 x 0.5" (4.45 x 3.81 x 1.27cm)
CA$2,500.00
Only 1 available
Reserve this artwork- Description
- Additional Information
- Artist Bio
Boxwood, 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.
As far as NUGWA know the DA-DA-GWA (hawk) isn’t a specific crest belonging to any clan; NUGWA know of it as something that’s been portrayed in Pacific Northwest Coast art and have long admired it as a subject.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Killerwhale Ring
Norman Bentley
CA$2,640.0014K Yellow Gold, 14K White Gold Rails, Engraved
Cut-Out Design
Width: 1/2″
Size: 6.75
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Nauch-Noo-Sem-Ghet Model Pole
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYellow Cedar wood, Abalone shell
Stone base
48 x 5.5 x 4.5″
49 x 8.5 x 6.5″ (including stone base)This is a story that came to the HAISLA, via inter-marriage, from the Ts’msyen people.
NUGWA (I/me) used this traditional story of an under-sea, supernatural HULL-CHEY-NAUCH (orca) HEY-MAS (chief) capturing the high-ranking wife of a man. The woman was brought to the underwater GYUU-AUCH (bighouse) of the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH HEY-MAS.
The abbreviated story essentially consists of the woman, on the beach, washing a valuable pelt — in some stories the pelt is from a albino HUN-GWEE-STA (sea otter); other stories have it as an albino SAW-GUM (seal). NUGWA have carved both on this GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA (totem pole). The HULL-CHEY-NAUCH HEY-MAS then captures, then brings the woman to his underwater GYUU-AUCH.
The husband consults a DO-DUX-SWEELTH (person who is psychic) who tells him to paddle out to the AH-AH-WAX (sea/ocean) while keeping the setting sun on his right side and he would come to a WODEE (kelp) bed. Once he got there he tied his GELWA (canoe) to a WODEE and climbed down it’s long stem which was fastened to the bottom of the AH-AH-WAX.
In some stories, on the way down, he encounters guardians in the form of either a giant JEE-QWA (clam) or a giant GWAAS (mussel) — both try to clamp onto any trespassers so they would eventually drown. NUGWA carved one of each on this GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA. The wife is eventually rescued from the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH HEY-MAS — he’s the bottom figure with the long JM-DEE-GA (dorsal fin) extending right to the top of the GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA. Rope is carved on both sides because in other versions of the story the husband climbs down a rope; at the rope’s tops are 2 HULL-CHEY-NAUCH JM-DEE-GA. The AH-AH-WAX is shown as wavy lines adorning the entire GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA.
Standing in the blowhole of the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH HEY-MAS is the beautiful wife — hopefully, like most love stories, her and her husband live happily ever after.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Shaman’s Wand Sculpture
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYellow Cedar wood
27.5 x 4 x 3.25″
28.25 x 6 x 6″ (including base)This carving is an artistic exploration of the shamanic “world”. The HAY-LEE-CLA (shaman) used many implements to enhance his ceremonies, rituals and demonstrations of his magic powers.
One such interesting implement was a wand, or as some call it a baton — apparently used to keep time and rhythm during a chant or song, as well as to impress any viewer.
In this case the JM-DEE-GA (dorsal fin) of a HULL-CHEY-NAUCH (orca) is the background and various creatures are added which fit into a shamanic theme. From bottom to top on one side there are: a celestial face with 4 directional arrows, a strange fish-like creature with an arm and long tongue, MIYA (fish), chanting HAY-LEE-CLA, and a weeping KWEE-KWA-NAUCH (frog) on top.
On the other side there are: another celestial face, a worm, MIYA, upside-down TA-GWAH (octopus), 3 faces and the backside of the KWEE-KWA-NAUCH on top.
Apparently during a demonstration of HAY-LEE-CLA power there would be drumming, singing and chanting to call on various spirit-helpers to come help. During the drumming, singing and chanting a wand would be used in time with the rhythm; then at certain intervals the wand would be raised and prominently displayed in an impressive manner as possible.
In the olden days such a performance must have been quite an impressive spectacle because it was usually held at nighttime in a traditional bighouse, lit only by flickering bonfire which cast “dancing” shadows — such a dramatic setting left plenty of room for a viewer’s imagination to run wild!
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Star Face Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$5,400.0018K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Engraved, Textured, Repoussé, Chased
2012“The story of ‘Raven Releasing the Light’ has several versions depending upon the teller and the Pacific Northwest Coast group. In some versions, the sun is featured, while in others the moon or stars are included. In this pendant, I played around with the idea of using a star; it’s a theme I want to keep on pursuing because it’s intriguing to me to take bits and pieces of a traditional tale and expand it in a way that respects the original intent. As far as I know, a Star is not really widely used in Pacific Northwest Coast art.”
-Lyle Wilson, 2016