Breathing Lives into Wood
Nisga’a artisan Mike Dangeli has devoted decades of his life to carving totem poles. His giant creations honor Indigenous histories—past and present.
Dear Friends,
For generations, the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest region have used totem poles to honor special events and to preserve their stories. Chiseled by hand by skilled carvers to imbue their creations with spiritual power, some poles have stood for centuries, holding the unwritten histories of Indigenous North America, even as colonizers made every effort to erase them.
Of the hundred or so carvers that carry on this tradition, one is Mike Dangeli, a polymathic artist and craftsman from the Nisga’a people in the Pacific Northwest region of Canada. This week, we’re excited to bring you a new, full-length feature profiling Dangeli. Our contributing editor, Jeff Greenwald, explores Dangeli's profound connection to his craft as he breathes new life into each creation, and uses his totem poles as a form of activism on behalf of his people.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading “Breathing Lives into Wood,” by Jeff Greenwald. And make sure you don’t miss the sidebars, which cover the efforts to preserve fallen totem poles and Dangeli’s handcrafted regalia. We also have two superb short videos to share with you. One, featured below, shows Dangeli explaining his process as he works; the other is a remarkable performance of an age-old Nisga’a tradition: a homecoming song for their warriors—from battles of old as well as wars fought overseas on behalf of the U.S., even though this country has often been their people’s oppressor.
Here’s a quick peek of Dangeli at work in his studio:
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Sincerely,
Todd Oppenheimer
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Craftsmanship Magazine
“The Secrets of Mastery” is a series of brief, intimate conversations with artisans, innovators, and other pioneers about what it takes to master their craft, and why handmade matters. It’s available only to paid subscribers here on Substack.
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