Baah-Booq
Baah-booq (panel, drum, serigraph)
The drum was made first to come up with a design that reflects what “Tsa-qwa-supp” is about in the year 2001. What appears on the drum is the image of a Thunderbird creating a wolf, one of the most important figures of the Ditidaht (Nuu-chah-nulth). The form line I used in the wolf’s creation comes from an old master from my village whose name is “Chuulatuss.” He was a very prolific artist creating bowls, head-dresses and ceremonial curtains. His most well known documented ceremonial curtain is now at the Rice University in Houston, Texas. This curtain was the basis of my recreation for the Huupuuqwinuum, Tupaat Exhibition, which is currently at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles, California.
The drum design was entitled “Baah-booq” because I felt I needed to acknowledge past and present artists who have made artwork for ceremonial purposes. “Baah-booq” means “making things with your hands, or making art.”
This same story line could be also used for the carved and painted yellow cedar panel and the limited edition serigraph.