Honor.

In honor of the First Peoples that inhabited the land we live on, I have been carving Native American designs and learning about the Native Tribes and their culture. I have always wanted to, but have been hesitant because I do not want to be disrespectful or dishonor their rich heritage and right to dignity. After doing a short study of cultural appropriation, I decided to go ahead. In short, I have loved every minute.

Britannica states that cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. Further, I do not want to omit appropriate credit to those who may have created the images I so longed to carve. In the past, I have not had many qualms about carving images from popular culture (such as Disney) or other copyrighted images (such as Star Wars or Harry Potter), so I had to contemplate my sensitivity about carving Native American art. My conclusion was that the Native Americans have been so disrespected, oppressed, harmed, and ignored through our nation's history, the last thing I wanted to do is inflict more harm. I want to honor, not harm, with my artistic effort.

My contemplation led me to gathering information from the local tribes:

Indigenous PNW Coastal Tribes

The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities. They share certain beliefs, traditions and practices, such as the centrality of  salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol, and many cultivation and subsistence practices. The term Northwest Coast or North West Coast is used in anthropology to refer to the groups of Indigenous people residing along the coast of what is now called British Columbia, Washington State, parts of Alaska, Oregon, and Northern California. (wiki)

Crests, spiritual beings, legendary creatures like thunderbirds, along with natural forms like bears, ravens, eagles, whales, are common subjects in Northwest Coast art.

Tribes associated with the Pacific Northwestern Coastal region include Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Gitzsan, Haisla, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, Wuikinuxv, Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-cha-nulth, Makah, Coast Salish, Chimakum, Quileute, Willapa, Chinook, Tillamook, and the Da’naxda’xw Nation.

image from the QIN website, link below

People of the Quinault

We are among the small number of Americans who can walk the same beaches, paddle the same waters, and hunt the same lands our ancestors did centuries ago.

The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) consists of the Quinault and Queets tribes and descendants of five other coastal tribes: Quileute, Hoh, Chehalis, Chinook, and Cowlitz .

Our ancestors lived on a major physical and cultural dividing line. Beaches to the south are wide and sandy, while to the north, they are rugged and cliff-lined. We shared in the cultures of the people to the south as well as those to the north.

Living in family groups in long houses up and down the river, we were sustained by the land and by trade with neighboring tribes. Superb salmon runs, abundant sea mammals, wildlife, and forests provided substantial material and spiritual wealth to our ancestors.

A great store of knowledge about plants and their uses helped provide for our people. The western redcedar, the “tree of life,” provided logs for canoes, bark for clothing, split boards for houses, and more. We are the Canoe People, the people of the cedar tree. We remember our past while employing modern principles in a marriage that will bring hope and promise to our people now and in the future. (https://www.quinaultindiannation.com/)

carved on Firm Kut; each stamp measures about 1.5"

I had to modify these designs to accommodate my carving skill and the smaller size. I have a few more designs I am looking forward to carving, as well. I was specifically looking for traditional designs from the Coastal Peoples, but they were difficult to find. As with their living history, the artwork lives and evolves with them. There are many, many amazingly talented Native American artists creating contemporary Native American art, some of which I have purchased for my home.

I have worked with children from the local tribe, and I can tell you that their rich cultural history burns brightly within them. It is an amazing and beautiful thing. I honor them as I learn more about their distinct artwork and design elements. I don't know where these stamps will end up, but hopefully they will be in appropriate places to show honor and respect to the indigenous peoples of the PNW Coast.

Image credit: Sun - inspired by the work of artist Joseph M. Wilson; Salmon - a Salish design inspired by the artwork of Maynard Johnny Jr. (2012); Orca - a Salish design inspired by art featured by CascadiA Designs; Raven Moon - inspired by art featured by CascadiA Designs.