Delivery of the log to UAS. May 7, 2009
The artists will carve the Eagle totem under the awning of the Egan Classroom wing.
The whole process took about 3 hours and clusters of people surrounded the operation to watch. That's Richard Dauenhauer at far left.
The crew had to thread the 45-foot log between two pillars.
A crane lifts the log from the truck.
Workers hold the ends of the log to keep it under control.
The log was successfully placed between the pillars. STC stands for Sealaska Timber Corporation. Sealaska donated the log.
The crew slid metal bars under the log, allowing them to push it farther under the awning.
The crew pushing the log under the awning.
The person in the foreground is Lyle James, one of the Native students on campus who strove to get an Eagle totem at UAS.
This was a delicate operation. They had to push the log forward but prevent it from rolling to the left toward the building. The log weighs an estimated 15 tons!
Once the log was successfully moved into place, Wooch.een (a Native student club on campus) opened an acceptance ceremony for the log.
The students kicked off the ceremony with a song.
Lyle James addresses the crowd.
The ceremony included speeches by Michael Tagaban, who represented the Aak'w Kwaan, John Martin (above), who represented the Raven moiety, and Al McKinley, who represented the Eagle moiety.
Wooch.een students.
UAS Chancellor John Pugh stands (far left). Eagle speaker Al McKinley sits (far right).
UAS Chancellor John Pugh dances from the ceremony to a reception while the Wooch.een students sing.
The carvers are here!
T.J. Young examines the design.
T.J. Young.
T.J. Young begins removing wood. June 10, 2009
Joe (left) and T.J. Young.
The carvers are examining a model of the totem.
Joe and T.J. Young.
Joe using an adze to remove wood.
July 6, 2009. Joe and TJ Young have the design cut in.
TJ working on the Eagle.
Eagle talons.
This is Ben Young -- another brother.
The carvers made a model of the totem before they began carving the design into the log. This is a close representation of how the final totem pole will look.
Ben also is a Haida language student/teacher who teaches the language at Sealaska Heritage Institute's annual Latseen Leadership Camp (July 12-24 in Juneau).
TJ Young doing some detail work.
Eagle end of the Eagle totem pole. They are almost ready to paint.
July 16, 2009. The carvers are close to finishing the totem.
July 22, 2009.
Joe Young. I missed Joe the last two times I went to UAS to photograph so I took a bunch of him yesterday.
It's not uncommon for Joe and TJ to work 12-hour days on this project.
TJ Young.
TJ using a mallet and blade to shape the wood.
Aug. 7, 2009. The carvers are almost done.
They are doing final detail work before they paint.
A selection of tools used on this project.
The Young brothers' cousin Josh Yates is in town helping Joe and T.J. on the totem. Josh is also an artist.
Joe Young using a mallet.
Joe Young.
Aug. 10, 2009. The carvers are painting!
T.J. using black paint.
Joe painting with totemic blue.
