Elder's Gathering, 1991

This design was inspired when my sister, Dorothy, said that she was looking for a boardroom table for her office. I suggested a carved table, and because she works for a language program, I decided to make the table tell a story. A table of knowledge.

All figures used here represent things that belong to me or my family, as well as all Kwaguilth people. The old man in the centre represents an elder. His face is painted grey to show his age. He is wearing a red and green button blanket with a Raven design. My father, Henry Hunt, wore a similar blanket. The man's face represents the middle of a two-headed serpent. This is the main crest of my mother, Helen, who was from Kingcome Inlet.

Under the Sisiutl's head is a killer whale, which our family uses in the killer whale dance, the Klasala. Riding on the back of the killer whale is a Raven with a copper in its mouth. Raven is the main crest of my family, on my father's side, from Fort Rupert. Copper represents wealth.

On the far right, is bear, which is also used in the Klasala. Next, is wolf kneeling down. This dance belongs to my sisters. The wolf is holding a talking stick. The top figure is a thunderbird, which is my main crest for the dance, tamed Hamatsa. A dance I inherited from Tom Willie. Below the thunderbird is a killer whale, who is believed to be the spirits of our great chiefs. Next is a man wearing a chilkat blanket and a cedar bark hat. The chilkat blanket was inherited from the Tongas Tlingit. Lastly, is a supernatural frog. The frog is used in the dance, Tokwit, which belongs to my sister, Dorothy.

In front of the frog is Kulus, which is my main headdress worn in the dance, Tamed Hamatsa. I inherited this dance from my mother, Helen Hunt, who was one of the few woman Hamatsa dancers of her time. All figures here represent members of my family in dance regalia. They are heading toward the elder to listen and learn from his knowledge, an oral history of his interpretation of the past.