Native American Ojibway Ricing River Otters Totem Gadomski

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Native American Ojibway Ricing River Otters Totem Gadomski

SKU: 223905

Our Price: $2,299.00

Retail Price: $3,220.00

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Description

This Totem Figure is a limited edition creation by Kevin Gadomski and his son Tanner. Each Totem Figure is hand signed, Dated and is a numbered edition. This is The Ricing River Otters and is number 18 of 100 of this limited edition. Tanners native heritage is from the Turtle Clan of the Grand Portage Band of the Ojibway, on his mothers side, whose grandmothers on both sides were full Anishinabe as well as his grandfather who was half Cree. Kevin and his son Tanner have signed and dated the Totem in 2011. This work of art measures approximately 24 3/4 inches long as measured from the front to the back of the canoe and is approximately 19 1/8 inches tall as measured from the wooden base to the top of the pole being used to push the canoe through the water. The canoe itself is approximately 9 inches wide at the widest point.

These otters are shown in their Birch Bark canoe gathering wild rice. The rear otter pushes the canoe through the rice with the pole while the front otter uses the wooden rods to knock the wild rice into the canoe.

The Ojibway believe every animal has its own individual fits and unique talents and power. Animals were chosen as personal totems by one who hoped to gain an animals special powers through emulating that animals behavior and characteristics. Animals have the ability to sense the changes of the world, the seasonal changes and the coming of things.

As the story is told, in the days when the earth was new and there were no men but only animals, the sun was far away in the sky. It was so far away that there was no summer. It was so far away that the trees and the grasses did not grow as they should. He Who Made the Animals saw how it was that there was not enough sun to heat the earth, and so he fashioned a snare. The Sun did not see the snare in his path, walked into the snare, and the snare held him fast. Then the sun was close to the earth. In fact, the snare held the sun so close to the earth that there was no night. Day after day the sun shown and the earth dried and the grasses withered. There was not enough food or water for the animals and they desperately called a council. Sun, the animals said, You give too much heat to the earth. Set me free, the Sun said, and I will come to the edge of the earth in the morning and in the evening, then at noon time I will stand straight above the earth and warm it then. The animals sat around the council fire and they said, Who is going to set the sun free? No animal would do it. I shall do it, Otter said. How can you do it said the animals. You are too small, your teeth are for fish, and your fur has already burned away. None of the other animals liked the otter because he played too much. They did not think he was brave.

Ignoring the taunts, the otter set off to the place in the sky above the earth where the sun was held by the snare. Otter took many days to get to the sun. The sun burned him. The sun was so bright, Otter had to close his eyes. When he reached the sun, Otter began to chew on the leather that held the sun. His skin was burning and blistering, his eyes were hot stones. But Otter did not stop chewing. Suddenly he chewed through the leather. The animals saw the sun rise into the sky. The animals felt the cool winds begin to blow on the earth. Otter had freed the sun from the snare.

He Who Made the Animals said to the Otter, I will see that the other animals will not forget what you have done for them as they were not as brave as you. He gave Otter new strong teeth, tireless muscles, keen eyesight, and a powerful tail to help him in his hunting and in his play. He did not have to give him bravery. But he gave him new fine fur that was like down on his skin, and a second coat of fur to guard the first so that he would not get cold in water or in winter. Then he gave him joy so that he would always be happy in his life, and Otter has so remained until this day.

You will receive the exact item pictured. We have taken pictures of this specific, individual item which is the exact item you will recieve.