Rattle
Maker
Eugene Alfred
Tlingit / Northern Tutchone
Date2021
Place MadePelly Crossing, Yukon, Canada
Serial No.None
SignedIncised near base of handle: EA Y21DescriptionThis rattle shares a story of transformation, as told in carved alder wood. The human depicted takes on qualities of two animal beings – raven’s sharp beak-like nose and frog’s broad mouth with extended tongue – their features embellished in acrylic paint. Rattles and other noisemakers, like whistles and reedpipes, are essential to traditional ceremony and dance, signaling transformation and the presence of unseen forces. Telling an origin story is to call upon the power of its characters to heal, guide, protect or inspire.Representing animals in carving, painting and weaving allows a person to invoke or embody the being’s traits. Raven is considered the most powerful in the Northwest Coast, as he is credited with releasing the sun, moon and stars, synonymous with knowledge and self-awareness. Frog is revered for dwelling in two worlds – land and water. This adaptability is also understood as an ability to move between natural and supernatural realms. As a primary spirit helper for shamans, frogs share knowledge, an act typically depicted by touching tongues in carving.
DimensionsOverall length: 11in
Rattle diameter: 5inProvenancePurchased new from Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery, Vancouver, Canada.Published ReferencesNMM catalog: _As Good as Gold: The First 50 Years (1973-2023)_. Vermillion, SD: National Music Museum, 2023. (pp. 80, 92-93)
Credit LinePurchase funds gift of the Clayton & Odessa Lang Ofstad Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee, 2022
Object number15664
On View
Not on view
1973 ca.