Grandfather Moon is wise and loving, his presence in our lives is constant, he cautiously watches over us unseen most of the time he takes care not to overwhelm us with his powerful spirit, and deplete our energies.
Grandfather Moon is the one responsible for the flow of the waters, he is the overseer of the tides, he is the catalyst of birth, he fuels our passions, spurs our sense of justice, and lights our spirits when we are needed. Grandfather Moon connects us to our inner-selves, he connects us with our honour, integrity and determination, he inspires us to love ourselves but more importantly to love and protect that which is around us even more because without the rest of life and society we are all lost.
Click on any of the Images above to check out Grandfather Moon Merchandise Collections!
Created by T S Ni hUiginn in honour of her own Grandfather William and all the good men who’s efforts and toil benefit us all each and every day.
“There is a longing among all people and creatures to have a sense of purpose and worth. To satisfy that common longing in all of us we must respect each other.”
Geswanouth Slahoot (Chief Dan George)
Since time immemorial the salmon have been a significant part of our culture and identity. They sustained us with their flesh providing us not only nourishment for our bodies but also for our minds and spirits. Our very existence relies on the salmon and therefore we treat the salmon with the greatest honour through our art and in our ceremonies. Their incredible, mysterious life journey fascinates and impresses; travelling from the fresh waters streams of their birth out to the mysterious deep ocean for years until they incredibly return upstream to begin a new generation sacrificing themselves in the act. It is indeed a powerful thing to witness. Salmon are crucial to human beings which is why we need to continue to ensure their survival and our own.
"We are all one blood. No matter where we are from, we are all one blood, the same".
David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu
This medicine wheel design isn’t just in honour of the Salmon and to remind us to be respectful. It was also created to honour, respect human beings have also co-existed on this planet since time immemorial and are also suffering terribly at this time. Although we may not all have the same exteriors, we all have the same interiors and biologically function the same way. As members of the human race we are all brothers and sisters where it counts which is under our skin where our hearts, intellects and souls exist, and we all share far more deep commonalities than superficial differences.
If you like this design or want to support the Uni EH artists check out our T-spring Shop for this design and more by clicking the illustration above.
This design is to honour all people of all origins who hold their heads high each and every day, who work hard, who respect themselves, their communities, their ancestors and the world around them by being the best they can be. This design is in honour of or those who love, learn and grow, who relish every moment of the gift of life and do not give up on themselves or put others down in order to build themselves up or as an excuse their lack of initiative. Success and happiness are not guaranteed in life, nor should they be, it is our responsibility to work to obtain our goals and we all have to work hard, and work together. We are also not the simplistic objects who were born incapable or evil because of how some ignorant fool defines our ancestry or sex, that is simply bigotry which I find abhorrent. Believe not in the bigots but instead in your ancestors, grandparents and family, hold your head high and most importantly be good to each other!
"places to hunt places to hide are getting harder to find, and pet canaries and goldfish too, did you notice that?" - Charles Bukowski
The Great Blue Heron is a patient hunter, slowly gliding though the water watching and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It is quite exciting to come across a Heron going about its business, which is usually eating or sleeping and sometimes grooming.
It takes a lot of fish to fill up one of these massive birds, and not just fish. Basically anything small enough to fit down its throat will be consumed, so be warned when photographing these beautiful birds.
In order to photograph a hunting Heron you have to move a stealthily and slowly meditatively and with purpose, as they do. There is something magical about witnessing this gorgeous bird going about its business naturally, without the slightest clue it was also being hunted. Fortunately for it I was only hunting for its beauty with my camera lens. Although it was a lot of fun, I too grew hungry and decided to call it a day. The Heron, also still hungry was still hunting when I left and it is very likely that he or she is still hunting now.
Uninspired,
Undesired,
Sitting on a Fence,
Boredom is Intense.
It is that time of year again, where the flicker’s are drumming to attract a mate. They are the percussionist’s in the annual spring bird symphony that is performing now.
Modern Architecture it is lighter and brighter than it once was. It makes everything seem bigger by reflecting the beauty of nature but I cannot help wonder what the modern birds think about all of these new artificial skies.
Thousands of years ago ancient people’s looked up to the stars and created some fairly interesting myths and stories to accompany the celestial sight. Overtime individuals known as astrologers mapped the heavens about and divided them into twelve equal sections. Further they insisted that the position of the stars when a person was born would determine the personality of that individual and this idea caught in a big way and started trending, and despite its lack of scientific basis, most modern people around these parts, believers or not do know what their astrological sign is.
Scorpio Zodiac Design by Charles J. Craigan
Sechelt Artist Charlie Craigan is creating the zodiac in his traditional pacific west coast native style. He has chosen to start the introduction of this series with the tenth and his own star sign, Scorpio. The only requirement for being a Scorpio is being born between October 23 and November 21. And if you were blessed with this star sign you allegedly have a forceful personality with a bit of a stinger, but are also brave, loyal and honest.
Whether you are a believer or just like the zodiac for fun Charlie Craigan’s Scorpio Design is available for purchase at his T-spring Store.
Nature photography is not strictly a rural affair. It is important to pay attention to what is actually going on around you and not to overlook the details. These strong and determined little plants make up one of the most delightful places I have ever spied.
Little frog,
little frog,
snugly sleeping in the bog.
So petite,
with flippered feet,
catching tasty bugs to eat.
Charles J. Craigan’s Water Spirit design is a celebration of the spiritual and physical relationship between the frog and fresh waterways. The Frog is symbolic as spiritual keepers of fresh water and waterways and it is a reminder of that we must show appreciation for these brilliant creatures and the water’s they protect.
We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.
Mao Zedong
Frogs are important creatures, they are culturally significant and powerful to some, whereas others have far less respect for them. Some associate frogs with being unattractive or stupid but I have always found those comparisons unfounded. Frogs have proven themselves to be clever, resourceful and capable of survival when may of us would be challenged to do likewise.They are also a tasty treat for some although not to my personal taste, the heron however is far more fond of them than I. It won’t be long now until their beautiful voices rise in unison again announcing spring’s arrival once again, and spring without them would be unthinkably sad and lonely.
If you would like to support our artists, Charles Craigan’s Water Spirit Design is Available for purchase at his T-spring store. Clicking on any of the images will take you to his store.
That is the way it is done, the way it has always been done. Frogs have every right to expect it will always be done that way.
Winter always touches the world,
in magical ways.
It lifts the spirit
and brightens the day.
There is something amazing about winter days, I love how day to day the weather and the scenery is always exciting and new. We mainly have rain and wind storms but the snow falls are few and far between. At the sight of fresh falling snow boots and camera’s are immediately equipped and the traipsing about before it melts begins. So here is a bit of winter’s beauty and the results of a day of these efforts that I am sharing with you today!
Cocky chick,
Cocky chick,
Itching for a fight,
Until it gets too real,
Then he opts for flight.
This little animation was inspired in part by an encounter I had with a young grouse chick who was attempting to intimidate me with his incredible moves. Rather than flee in terror I watched the display and was impressed with this brave little chick. But also when Paul Clifford sent me his musical number Woke Dreams that my imagination was inspired and soon after this little Grouse and his moves became a video. Why? Simply for my own amusement I guess, there is no deep thought or meaning in this number, nor does it reflect actual Grouse reality or culture in anyway but is meant as a portrayal of human culture. Be aware that I did create it with a younger audience in mind, with the intent of bringing a smile to a child’s face so maybe this video is not so shallow or meaningless after all.
Several species of Grouse are common in Coastal Salish territories, they are numerous and are a food source for both people and other wildlife. Personally I love to hear the sound of their drumming coming from the edges of the forest, it is both a magical and haunting sound from a beautiful and brave little bird.
Like what you hear, Woke Dream the music from this video along with other amazing audio loops created by Paul Clifford’s Jawshop Adventure Recording Studios will soon be available at our coming soon new loop shop SpiceRack.
The University of East Hastings 