seal figure, Eelaela

Artwork Overview

Eelaela, artist
born 1933
seal figure, mid–late 1900s
Where object was made: Lake Harbor (present-day Kimmirut), Northwest Territories (present-day Nunavut), Canada
Material/technique: stone; carving
Dimensions:
Object Length/Width/Depth (Length x Width x Depth): 10.5 x 3.5 x 5.5 cm
Object Length/Width/Depth (Length x Width x Depth): 1 3/8 x 4 1/8 x 2 3/16 in
Credit line: Gift from the Menninger Foundation
Accession number: 2007.5853
On display: Long Ellis Gallery

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Images

Label texts

Soundings: Making Culture at Sea

Indigenous cultures from the Arctic to South America and beyond have long had intimate relations with their companion ocean waters. Such diverse cultures have distinct ways of navigating the ocean and describing its role in their daily life and culture. Small model boats and other crafted items representing the sea served as teaching tools and talismans. Some were also designed to sell to foreigners as a way to support the maker and their community.

Exhibitions

Celka Straughn, curator
Emily C. Casey, curator
2025