the character with the spear represents “..represents .gathering from the sea”

“Following Our Ancestors’ Trail” was the theme for the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s “Celebration” in 1992.  We created a hand-silkscreened poster with this image.  This carving for the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska is on the 2nd floor entry.  It is mounted to the curved wall of the “meditation room.”

copper pennies for the eyes….

the character carrying the “basket of berries” represents “..represents .gathering from the land…”

the character in the center carrying the copper T’naa represents the “…history, culture, arts and wealth…”

…the large character in the center design field’s face has hand-pounded copper eyebrows and eyeballs…the large image represents the face of the sun

the character with dance staff is the “elder leading the way along the ancestors’ trail…”

Mother-of-pearl buttons are nailed down with copper brads.  The humans moving in the same direction as salmon…represents living with the natural cycle of life.

view of the right side of the curved wall mural of “Following Our Ancestors’ Trail…”

the inside of the “meditation room…”

full view of “Following Our Ancestors’ Trail…” – the footprints on a path, the ancestors’ trail and the path of the sun; the humans are the “rays of light” as the sun rises, life everlasting