Homage to Alfred Wesley Pole
Availability: Only 1 available
by Lyle Wilson
Yellow Cedar wood, Abalone shell, Acrylic paint
Stone base
58 x 8 x 7″
59.5 x 10.5 x 8.5″ (including base)
This GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA (totem pole) was inspired by an early HAISLA carver named Alfred Wesley — the older HAISLA generation remember him quite well: “he was an old man when I knew him… he was adapted out to the Haida at a very young age in the old Indian custom …. His father told him told him who he was and he moved back to KITAMAAT. He used to have an old, round washtub filled with water, which he kept small carvings in. He worked for awhile on each, put it back and worked on another till he got tired of it and put it back in the tub. He continued this until he finished each carving in the tub — it took (him) about a month to finish the tub full of his carvings. People used to call him DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS; his wife, Julia Wesley, was called JAH-BUS-DEE.”
Another elder said, “He used to come around to the house at mealtimes and eat with us. Eventually he gave Harry (her husband) a small model totem pole he’d carved and painted. Harry didn’t like the painting so he tried to “improve” it and he made it worse — he gave up and painted the whole thing black. He was from KITAMAAT but adapted to the Massett Haida (in) the old Indian way.”
Still another elder said, “he’s HAISLA and his brother was Edwin Wesley (he couldn’t remember the father’s name at that time). He learned to carve when he was over the islands… he’s buried somewhere up at the old graveyard. That’s one of his poles right there (pointing to a shelf).”
The 2 model GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA were still in possession of the informants when NUGWA (I/me) talked to them circa 2000, and were very AIX (good) carvings. The UBC Museum of Anthropology also has a few of his carvings so DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS was an early influence of mine and that’s why NUGWA decided to pay homage to him by carving this GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA.
My version is based on a model GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA attributed to DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS. In turn, NUGWA believe that his
GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA was based on a Haida story about the great flood that was believed to have occurred in the olden days — as the water rose up, the inhabitants of the GYUU-AUCH (bighouse) tried to escape by climbing the tall GLA-GLA-QWIL-SA in front of the GYUU-AUCH.
So the “escapees” are on the GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA, holding onto to each other — one wears a apron with a MUSAQ (rainbow) on it.
This is my own added detail because when NUGWA was growing up the introduced Christian religion’s influence was still strong and NUGWA was made to learn its “GREAT FLOOD” story; in which the MUSAQ became the symbol of the Christian god’s promise that another great flood would never happen again.
Lyle Wilson 2024
CA$55,000.00
Only 1 available
Reserve this artwork- Description
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Yellow Cedar wood, Abalone shell, Acrylic paint
Stone base
58 x 8 x 7″
59.5 x 10.5 x 8.5″ (including base)
This GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA (totem pole) was inspired by an early HAISLA carver named Alfred Wesley — the older HAISLA generation remember him quite well: “he was an old man when I knew him… he was adapted out to the Haida at a very young age in the old Indian custom …. His father told him told him who he was and he moved back to KITAMAAT. He used to have an old, round washtub filled with water, which he kept small carvings in. He worked for awhile on each, put it back and worked on another till he got tired of it and put it back in the tub. He continued this until he finished each carving in the tub — it took (him) about a month to finish the tub full of his carvings. People used to call him DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS; his wife, Julia Wesley, was called JAH-BUS-DEE.”
Another elder said, “He used to come around to the house at mealtimes and eat with us. Eventually he gave Harry (her husband) a small model totem pole he’d carved and painted. Harry didn’t like the painting so he tried to “improve” it and he made it worse — he gave up and painted the whole thing black. He was from KITAMAAT but adapted to the Massett Haida (in) the old Indian way.”
Still another elder said, “he’s HAISLA and his brother was Edwin Wesley (he couldn’t remember the father’s name at that time). He learned to carve when he was over the islands… he’s buried somewhere up at the old graveyard. That’s one of his poles right there (pointing to a shelf).”
The 2 model GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA were still in possession of the informants when NUGWA (I/me) talked to them circa 2000, and were very AIX (good) carvings. The UBC Museum of Anthropology also has a few of his carvings so DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS was an early influence of mine and that’s why NUGWA decided to pay homage to him by carving this GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA.
My version is based on a model GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA attributed to DUH-DOOK-DA-MAH-DOS. In turn, NUGWA believe that his
GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA was based on a Haida story about the great flood that was believed to have occurred in the olden days — as the water rose up, the inhabitants of the GYUU-AUCH (bighouse) tried to escape by climbing the tall GLA-GLA-QWIL-SA in front of the GYUU-AUCH.
So the “escapees” are on the GLA-GLA-QWIL-SALA, holding onto to each other — one wears a apron with a MUSAQ (rainbow) on it.
This is my own added detail because when NUGWA was growing up the introduced Christian religion’s influence was still strong and NUGWA was made to learn its “GREAT FLOOD” story; in which the MUSAQ became the symbol of the Christian god’s promise that another great flood would never happen again.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Eagles Totem Pole
Garner Moody
Price upon requestRed Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
For inquiries on totem pole commissions, please click here.
Currently on display at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel
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Purple Formline
Alano Edzerza
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Pacific Spirit, State I
Susan Point RCA
CA$875.00Serigraph, Edition of 80
2006
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Frog Pendant
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYew 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 KWEE-KWA-NAUCH (frog) is a specific crest belonging to the IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Hay-Lee-Cla (Shaman) Soul Catcher
Lyle Wilson
SOLDBoxwood
2.5 x 8.75 x 2″ (soul catcher only)
7.5 x 8.75 x 2.75″ (including stand)In the olden days the practice of the shamanism was widespread amongst the Pacific Northwest native peoples — including the HAISLA. The HAY-LEE-CLA (shaman) was considered to be a powerful individual capable of doing both AIX (good) and YAX (bad). Their regalia and accompanying “tools of their trade” were some of the most unique and mysterious artifacts produced. Since they believed that their power would either be lost or weakened when their secrets were known, all HAY-LEE-CLA closely guarded the knowledge of their profession. So the only person who could really tell what was depicted on their tools and regalia was the HAY-LEE-CLA who owned the items.
So very little is known and recorded about shamanism — except that there was an extremely strong belief that their powers were real and not to be trifled with.
Asking HAISLA elders about soul-catchers, all they could only come up with HAISLAKALA words like HAY-LEE-CLA, HILIGA (soul), and DUDXSIWIHC PIPU (shaman’s tools). The specific word for “soul-catcher” has now been forgotten, because such an item has not been used — or seen — in the HAISLA community for generations. Some HAISLA elders believe that any carving featuring a O-shaped mouth is a sign of magic and such items were generally avoided by ordinary HAISLA people.
The majority of old soul-catchers are made of a femur bone — it was believed the SAX (grizzly bear) femur was best because it was a powerful, fearsome animal and even after it was killed, it’s bones retained residual power. Many of these mysterious old soul-catchers are some of the finest, elaborate and jewel-like carvings from the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Soul-catchers were hung around the neck so they were both highly visible and easily reachable. The bone itself was hollow, once the HILIGA was captured and put inside, both ends would be plugged with red-cedar bark until the HILIGA could be ritually dealt with.
My three soul-catchers [in this exhibition] are carved from boxwood. The fact that very little is known about what exactly shamanic images mean gave NUGWA great artistic and creative leeway — NUGWA took full advantage of this leeway. So although there is no specific “story” behind these three soul-catchers, they all attempt to follow the fantastic imagery portrayed on historical soul-catchers: mysterious, wild and free from an anthropological/historical explanations; inspired by an artistic and sculptural point-of-view.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Raven & Light Sculpture
Lyle Wilson
SOLDWild Crabapple wood, Yew wood, Abalone shell
Black Walnut BaseThis is the story of WEE-GIT, the Trickster GAX (raven) stealing the”Ball of Light” — this carving shows WEE-GIT, perched on a traditional GUH-YO-JEELTH (bentwood box). The NA-GWA-JEE (moon) is above him.
In the olden days, the world was originally in darkness, so it was very hard for WEE-GIT to hunt for food in order to try satisfy his never-ending hunger. WEE-GIT knew that an old HEY-MAS (chief) owned, and kept, a “Ball of Light” in a GUH-YO-JEELTH. WEE-GIT decided it would be easier to get food if he could see, so he decided to trick the old HEY-MAS. He did that by using his magical powers to change himself into a pine needle; then floated into the chief’s daughter’s cup of water. She drank both the water and pine needle and became pregnant.
Thus WEE-GIT was reborn as a young boy and became the treasured grandchild of the old HEY-MAS.
At first the HEY-MAS kept a close watch on WEE-GIT but eventually the HEY-MAS let his “grandson” play with the “Ball of Light”; relatively unsupervised. Taking advantage of such loose supervision WEE-GIT quickly changed back into his true form and grabbed the NA-GWA-JEE in his beak. He flew up and squeezed through the big-house’s smokehole; the smokehole’s soot turned his white feathers to black when he squeezed out — that’s why all GAX have black feathers today.
The NA-GWA-JEE was very heavy and WEE-GIT soon became too tired to fly, so rather than let the pursuing HEY-MAS regain it, he threw the NA-GWA-JEE into the sky.
That is why there now is a NA-GWA-JEE casting its soft light from the nighttime sky; WEE-GIT’s unintentional gift to mankind. The “Ball of Light” has also served as a metaphor for the beginning of human consciousness on the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Ovoid Eyespot #3 Pendant: Human
Lyle Wilson
CA$5,400.0018K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Engraved, Textured, Repoussé, Chased
2012“For this series, the inspiration came from thinking about the eyespot markings on the wings of young skatefish; as such markings are credited with the beginning of the famous Pacific Northwest Coast (PNC) Ovoid. The original markings are solid black spots, encircled by a fine line.
I wanted to use the same circular format as a young skatefish’s markings as traditionally as can be, but with variations on each face. There’s a strong ‘pull’ that keeps an artist coming back to the more traditional, straightforward depictions of PNC faces. To those of us who grew up hunting, gathering and fishing, I think such a ‘pull’ is connected to that traditional upbringing; and that sort of familiarity makes us want to go back, just to remind us of our roots again.”
-Lyle Wilson, 2016