Yelthadaas from the series Coppers from the Hood
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Canadian
Not on view
Yahgulanaas named his ongoing series Coppers from the Hood for the shield-like totems, or coppers, that Haida chiefs traditionally exchanged during potlaches, communal feasts that formed the basis of the pre-colonial economy on the Northwest Pacific Coast and that are still held today. Many of the artist’s versions are painted on the hoods of Toyota Tercels, which he appreciates both for their aerodynamic shape and for their brand name: a tercel is a male hawk—a raptor related to the artist’s kinship group (the Raven moiety) and this work’s title (Yelthadaas means "white raven"). Just as traditional coppers conveyed the wealth and importance of their bearers, automobiles are often the markers of economic status in the contemporary world.
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