Unpainted vintage First Nations Eagle and Raven wall panel measures 23 X 9, priced at $595. The vintage yellow cedar is warm-toned and lovely. Surrounded by cedar bark raffia “plumage”. The hanger was placed by the artist to hang vertically, but we have noticed that it looks great horizontally as well. The carving quality is clearly masterful.

The artist was born in 1943, Alert Bay, British Columbia, located off the north east coast of Vancouver Island. He spent most of his adolescence growing up in the small village of Gwayi in Kingcome Inlet and is a member of the the Dzawada’enuxw Tribe of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations. It is here, at the age of five, where he found his true love for carving, after his father taught him to carve for the first time. Presently, he resides on Gabriola Island and carves on a full-time basis.

He carves in yellow and red cedar wood. Each piece of cedar is hand-picked and can take as long as 2-10 hours to carve depending on the size and design. He is one of many Northwest Coast Native artists who are preserving the carving traditions of his people.

The Native Eagle Symbol is known as “The master of skies” and is a symbol of great significance. He is believed to be the creature with the closest relationship with the creator. Soaring to great heights, he can travel between the physical and the spiritual world. Although every part of the eagle has separate and significant meanings, the Eagle as a whole signifies focus, strength, peace, leadership, and ultimate prestige.

In many Northwest Coast Communities stories are told about the Raven and his many achievements. One of the most common stories is how the Raven stole the light in the form of the sun, the moon and stars. Raven transformed himself into a child to find out where the light was hidden, and then stole it from an old chief who had kept them in his house locked away in a large bentwood box. After Raven escaped with the box through the smoke hole of the house, he placed the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky for all beings to enjoy. Originally the Raven had white feathers and after flying through the smoke hole with the light, his feathers turned black and stayed black until today.