'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone

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'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone
'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone
'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone
'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone

'Namxiyalegiyu - Silver Bracelet with Abalone

SOLD

With abalone

Namgis Sea Monster

1 1/2" x 6"

The name ʼNa̱mǥis originates with the story of ʼNamxiyalegiyu – the Halibut-like giant sea monster. Because of a message sent to him by the Creator before the great flood, there was a ʼNa̱mǥis man who knew it was to happen and waited by the ocean for the arrival of a huge sea monster. He was waiting for ʼNamxiyalegiyu, whose name meant “something terrible”.

When the rain began that would cause the flood, ʼNamxiyalegiyu arose from the depths of the ocean. It was so significant in size that when it rose the tides dropped around the entire world. The man climbed onto the sea monster’s back, but ʼNamxiyalegiyu was so gigantic that he seemed only to be a small dot its back. Before submerging, the Creator gave the man supernatural power with which he could breathe underwater. ʼNamxiyalegiyu protected the man under the ocean until the waters went down.

When it was safe, ʼNamxiyalegiyu returned the man to Xwalkw – a village site at the mouth of the ʼNa̱mǥis river. When the man was retuned to his homeland, he looked around to realize that he was alone on the land. He took the name Namukustolis, meaning "Only One in the World". Namukustolis was very lonely and after some time snared birds and transformed them into people and this is how Namukustolis began the ʼNa̱mǥis tribe within the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. He kept the great sea monster, ʼNamxiyalegiyu, as the ʼNa̱mǥis crest because it had been his protector and had saved him during the great flood.

Joe Wilson

CULTURAL GROUP:
Kwakwaka'wakw (Namgis)

BORN:
January 14, 1966

BIRTHPLACE:
Alert Bay, BC

Joe R. Wilson (Hak’wesagame’) is a Kwakwaka'wakw/'Namgis artist born on January 14, 1966 in Yalis (Alert Bay, BC). He is the grandson of 'Namgis Hereditary Chief Alvin Edgar Alfred (K’odi U’dzistalis). At the age of 13, Joe took a design course with Doug Cranmer, but did not begin carving professionally until age 21, when he discovered and was deeply inspired by the works of master carver Chief Willie Seaweed. From 1996 to 1997, Joe led a team of carvers in the construction of a Kwakwaka'wakw style village at Dolfinarium Harderwijk, a marine mammal park in the Netherlands. Beyond his early training, he is largely self-taught. Whether he is carving wood, silver, copper, or gold, Joe is known for his intricate and detailed style.

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