Isaac’s Ancestors
"Tools for Survival"
by Stephen H. Dean
This work is presented not only in applications for the skillfully crafted “Tool’s of survival ” but for those who lived to make them and made them to live.
Dedicated to Isaac Kulowiyi and his wife Sherry who spent their life retrieving their ancestor’s tools of survival from the mineral overburden left by time since they last touched a human hand.
Isaac’s Ancestors
By: S. H. Dean
Internationally Celebrated Artist
Honoring Isaac Kulowiyi and the tools of survival made by his ancestors.
This collection was acquired over 40 years almost all from Isaac
Kulowiyi of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. All others from the same location.
Walrus jaw bone holding a slate medallion show’s current picture of Ike at 69 and his grandson Max.
Portrait of Ike in walrus ivory, by S. H. Dean, mounted atop a rare half walrus skull and tusk worn by the ocean before coming ashore to be richly colored by mineral absorption over a very long period of time, mounted on tusk include drum handle, net fishing weight embellished with Salmon by S. H. Dean, adze, walrus vertebrae, tool retrieval hooks, fish stringer, sea lion tooth, spear tips and a whole sealskin wooden float plug ring.
Artifacts presented on whale jawbone include whale eardrums with holes for fire starting, net weights, bone needles for sewing walrus hide Oomiak, little bird hiding at base of walrus skull, first walrus carved by Isaac S. H. Dean collected 40 years ago.
A toy Oomiak in wood, broken sled runners, pieces of bone armor, small seal digging find, a single bolo for bird harvest, spear tips and snow scraper.
