Susie Silook, one of the most original artists to come out of Alaska, created an evocative sculpture created to honor her clan, Aymaaramka. The artist indicates, "It means The Strong. We are one of 13 patriarchal clans in the Siberian Yupik world, and the second largest."
Carved from walrus tusk with a pink marble base. The inscribed plastic tag was issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to show the female walrus tusk was registered with USFWS as a legal walrus hunt.
A number of bas relief shapes adorn the surface of the tusk, including whales and spirals. A protective hand emerges from the upper abdomen. A basket of colorful curly material is held aloft. The head sports polar bear hair.
Tusk is 20 1/2 inches long x 1 3/4 inches wide x 1 inch thick. Including the base, it is 27 inches high.
