The hunter's Canoe 2025 | 24" long red cedar with abalone inlay and acrylic paints.

One of my first dimensional carvings, this canoe depicts the story of the eagle boy who saves his lost brothers from a Wasgo.

10 boys of their mother, an Eagle woman, heard of people from a land where the sun was always shining. One by one the mother saw the look in her son's eyes as they longed to go to this place. And one by one they left to find this land, so they say. What the boys didn't know is that this place was guarded by a Wasgo. A supernatural being of great power with the head and tail of a wolf, but fins and features of a killer whale.

The last of the eagle woman's sons, and the oldest, had a similar look in his eyes. The mother feared she would lose this last son also. However the look in his eyes was not the longing for this beautiful land, but a determination to save his brothers from the wasgo. His mother did not know of his intent when he left the village. Along the way he would have a visit with mouse woman who would give him tricks he could use against the Wasgo. With he help he was able to defeat the Wasgo and return his brothers to their mother. Then he took the skin of the Wasgo, a prize for defeating such a powerful being. A prize which gave him the powers of a great hunter. I think of this Canoe bowl as the oldest Eagle boy's hunting canoe, now with the skin of the Wasgo displayed on the side. He brings bounties of resources and food back to his family.