About the pole
Tlingit master carver Wayne Price writes about the design concept for the Kootéeyaa Project Wellbriety totem pole, which has the Tlingit name Yei éek kwa néix. Wayne is the art director at the Silver Cloud Art Center in Haines, Alaska.
"The design of this pole reflects very old, traditional Tlingit values. The shaman, the medicine woman, each of these is symbolic of Tlingit culture," Wayne said. "Culture and art have the ability to heal people, to recover. It's a very healthy path people can take to getting well."
WELLBRIETY KOOTÉEYAA
Raven, our Creator, was carved holding the moon in his mouth. The light held in his mouth is leading our people to wellness and healing, away from addiction, grief and turmoil of mind/body/spirit. He is drawing us to the light of recovery and showing our people the path of wellness found in our culture. His light shows our people the old way. He shines light on another choice.
Open stretches of the totem are adzed to represent the bright sky. There are contemplative areas for our minds and spirits to look ahead; transformational spaces for our hearts to heal; and healing spaces to divide light from dark as we progress on our Wellbriety journey.
Our Shaman is here with us. He has power to enter into the dark world of disease, addiction, torment and sadness. He gathers our people's spirits and wards off darkness. He directs us to the light of recovery and wellness. Shaman was carved with long hair, Raven apron regalia and two rattles.
Between Shaman's feet is a Wolf spirit helper who helps the Shaman on vision quests into the darkness, helping to direct our people's feet onto the paths of recovery and wellness, as they begin to step out of the darkness.
Medicine Woman is holding a cedar basket full of herbs and plant medicine. She is our Grandmothers, Aunties and Mothers, who reach out to embrace us with medicine, tradition, culture and love. She is always there. We are a matriarchal society and this is our ultimate strength. It is the backbone of who we are; our Mother that gives life to us all. Her bare feet are strengthened for her journey of wellness as she kneels tall and proud, in solid contact with Mother Earth. Medicine Woman is dressed in Eagle regalia.
Mother Earth is at the base of the Wellbrierty Kootéeyaa, to sustain us, teach us and connect us all as we choose the path of healing and the sacred ground of wellness. Devil's club plants represent our medicine of yesterday and today in Southeast Alaska. It is prominent in the SEARHC logo. It is used as a traditional medicine and tea by us today, as it was by our ancestors.
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Copyright © 2006, SEARHC
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
