While we accept custom orders for urns on a regular basis, with a wide variety of designs, this particular design is titled 'The Descent' and depicts a pod of whales descending into the depths. The textured areas in the upper half of the box represents the continuity of the physical world, the orca whales represent the present and the living, and the ocean waves represent the spiritual and the infinite.

This urn measures 9" x 7" x 7" with an interior capacity for the cremains of one average human body. It is made from red and yellow cedar, and is entirely hand-carved by Canadian First Nations artist James Michels. It is also biodegradable.

The Killerwhale, also known as the Orca, is a primary crest within many Northwest Coast Native cultures. The Killerwhale can also be found along the west coast of North America throughout the year. Killerwhale clans connect themselves to the sea, where their ancestors are said to have once lived at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. There are many legends that tell of Killerwhales tipping canoes and bringing the occupants to their villages at the bottom of the ocean, and of whales guiding people to safety when they are caught on the water. All along the coast, fishers and hunters often apply Killerwhale designs to their canoes and paraphernalia. These depictions often include human elements, such as a human face in the blowhole or tail flukes. The human elements within these depictions may represent the artist, the artist’s connection to their clan, or an image of transformation. Generally, Killerwhales symbolize longevity, communication, and strength within Northwest Coast art and culture.

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