L’ool (Fireweed) Octopus Bag

L’ool ḵa Gáat (Fireweed Blooming means Sockeye Salmon are Running)

Growing up in Angoon, sockeye season was a busy time of the year. Families work together to  catch, smoke, and put their fish away. Shgendootan has fond memories of going with her uncle to get salmon and everyone had a hand in the process. When she was younger, she remembers her father pointing to a field of fireweed and saying “Pop says that when fireweed are blooming the sockeye are running.”  Hence this collection of octopus bags called, “L’ool ka Gāat, meaning fireweed and sockeye salmon. Shgendootan is constantly amazed at the environmental knowledge of her grandparents: learning from, observing, and being in tune with the surroundings is a way of life that has existed for centuries. This knowledge has been passed down from parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles for generations. Shgendootan is deeply touched as she watches her daughters now head out with their great-grandfather to beach seine for sockeye. Shgendootan is a Tradition Keeper and we are so honored to be introducing her to you!

The L’ool (Fireweed) design is a spruce root basketry pattern; the middle design is an original pattern representing fireweed fields flowing in the wind; at the bottom you will see the sockeye salmon eggs (redd or nest).

The overall length is about 43.5″l.