Philip Moreno Jr.
Passes Away at 64
Philip Moreno Jr., 64, of Sitka passed away in Anchorage on April 8.
A full obituary will be published later in the Sentinel.
Family can be contacted through Rachel Moreno at 907-738-6595.
Tsimshian’s Totem Pole
On View at SJ Museum
The Sheldon Jackson Museum April Artifact of the Month is a Tsimshian model totem pole by Eli Tait.
One of 18 model totem poles at the museum, it is the only Tsimshian one and the only work by Tait in the permanent museum’s collection. Ednu Rue donated it to the museum in 1969.
Eli Tait was born in Metlakatla in November 1872 and died in 1949 while working in his workshop.He was the son of Nis’awalp, John Tait, one of Metlakatla’s founders, and Margaret (Bolton) Tait.
Eli Tait married Cornelia Quinstead at age 27, though their marriage ended sometime before 1910. Tait later married Maud Stuart or Davis and they have two children, William and Ellen, both of whom assisted Eli in his work. While he worked as a night watchman on fish traps, he supplemented his income with carving model totem poles, most of which he sold to cruise ship passengers. Because he had to use crutches due to debilitating arthritis in his joints, William and Ellen frequently carried the poles to the docks for him.
According to Michael D. Hall and Pat Glascock, the production of Northwest Coast Native-made model totem poles can be divided into four different phases which include the Emergent Phase, beginning in the late 19th century and lasting until WWI; the Dynamic Phase, starting in the early 20th century and running into the Great Depression; the Cosmopolitan Phase, beginning with the outbreak of WWII and running through the social and political turmoil of the 1960s; and, the Analytic Phase which commenced in the 1970s and has continued into the 21st century.
The second phase, Dynamic, was the period in which Tait was active. It reflected the advent of modernism and the great social, political, and technological change of the early 20th century – change that resulted in “a dynamic of accommodation and resistance among Northwest Native groups that invigorated their model totem production into the Great Depression.” (Glascock and Hall, 55) It began in the wake of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, which drew the world’s attention to the Pacific Northwest. After the exposition, tourism via cruise ship and railroad to Alaska and Western Canada burgeoned and curio shops sprang up throughout the region.
The first generation of carvers in the Dynamic Phase faced increasingly strong efforts to assimilate and found their traditions and art forms discouraged. Commercialized art, however, including model totem poles, were ironically deemed desirable. Glascock and Hall point out that this dynamic enabled model totem poles to be a “subversive force” as the art form helped sustain Natives’ persistently threatened cultural identity. The pushback materialized in the bold and celebratory style of poles of the time – a stark contrast with the poles of the previous Emergent phase.
With the Dynamic Phase came the first model poles with outstretched wings, though the April Artifact of the Month has none. Finally, model poles of this era tend to have very bright colors due to the newly available commercial industrial paints of the time.
A number of characteristics are distinct to Tait’s model poles and many of these are present in the April Artifact of the Month. Even if the artist had not signed the back of the model totem pole in the form of a bear, one could surmise it was his work based on the medium, color selection, application of paint, and great attention to detail. This model, like the rest of Tait’s identified model poles, is made of finely grained yellow cedar. This was the wood of choice for Tait while most of his counterparts preferred red cedar. His poles tended to be slightly smaller in form compared with similar poles. Signature details of the bear model pole include the old style cursive and inscription ‘‘Metlakatla Alaska,’’ always found, even if faded, on Tait’s carvings. Finally, the very fine details of the April Artifact of the Month indicate Tait’s hand.
The ears of bears on his pole turn out slightly as opposed to being straight up. Extra care was taken to not just paint, but carve the eyes and faces in the paws of the bear. The stippling is not just haphazardly applied - it follows the contours of the bear’s body, especially the flow of the arms, legs, and forehead. Lastly, instead of just rounding the nose, Tait carved a sharp horizontal line running from eye to eye to define the nose.
Tait is best known for having created the Good Luck Totem – a popular style of pole depicting an eagle with a salmon in its talons perched atop a seated bear. The museum does not have one of his Good Luck Totem poles in the collection, but perhaps someday one can be acquired, the museum said.
The Sheldon Jackson Museum’s April Artifact of the Month, other Tsimshian artifacts and more may be seen at the museum during hours of operation – noon-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. General admission is $7, $6 for seniors, and free for those 18 and younger or members of either the Friends of the Sheldon Jackson Museum or Friends of the Alaska State Museum.
On Dean’s List
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has announced the students named to the deans’ and chancellor’s lists for the fall semester. The lists recognize students’ outstanding academic achievements.
Sitkans on the chancellor’s list are: Laura Ekada, Max Johnson, Zosha Krupa, Rachel Larson and Kyleigh McArthur. They received a 3.9 grade point average or higher.
Dean’s list recipients are: Ben Holmgren, Floy Ludington, Whitney McArthur and Francine Simeon received between 3.5 and 3.89.
Annual Quilt
Show Slated
The Ocean Wave Quilters Guild’s 38th Annual Quilt Show will be held in May at Whitmore Hall on the SJ Campus.
Hours will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. May 8 through 15; and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on May 16. No admission will be charged.
Masks and social distancing are required. Call Megan at 907-738-2290 with questions.
Lent Services at
St. Michael’s
Father Ishmael Andrew has set the following services for the fifth week of Great Lent at the Archangel Michael Cathedral.
–Wednesday, April 14, Presanctified Liturgy will be held at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 5 p.m. Compline with the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the reading of the life of St. Mary of Egypt.
–Friday, 5 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy begins.
–Saturday, at 5 p.m., will be the Great Vespers service.
–Sunday, two services include 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, and 4 p.m. Sunday Lenten Vespers.
For more information, contact Father Ishmael at 747-8120.
