DESCRIPTIONS OF PHOTOS: in order of the slide show photos above.
1. Side view of carved turtle showing double curves indicating motion and shell carving as described above.
2. Entire front of the stick; shows bark left around turtle, an incised triangle just below the bark with deep oval chip carved "dangles/feathers" hanging below the triangle. Beneath this is a design that has an equal armed cross at center with chip carvings and incised double curves on either side of top and bottom of this cross... more detailed description follows in #5 .... close-up of this bottom front design
3. Entire side of the stick showing the side of turtle (as in #1) and side of design in #5 as well as part of peace pipe design described in #9
4. Close up - top of carved turtle described above
5. Close up - bottom front of stick showing the incised triangle and the double armed cross design. Inside the cross at center is a diamond, on the sides of this diamond, at it's "points" are 2 chip carved ovals/leaves that are deeply carved. The incised double curves that come from top/bottom of equal armed cross design have at their tops/bottoms an ash branch with elongated chip carved leaves (read about symbolic meaning of ash branches near bottom of entire description). On the outer sides of the equal armed cross are 2 more chip carved oval/leaves with 3 stacked chip carved triangles (largest near the cross, smallest on the exterior)
6. Entire back of stick
7. Top back of stick - Hugga's signature/maker's mark - His initials, "JD" date, 1-17 and maker's mark, a lightning bolt w/double curve in his signature greek key style at top and bottom
8. Bottom back of stick - Incised peace pipe with zig-zag design on it's handle and 4 dangling chip carved elongated oval feathers below. The bowl of the pipe has elegantly streaming intertwining smoke.
9. last photo; Joe Hugga Dana holding one of his stand-up canoe paddles
The traditional designs have been used for centuries by Wabanaki (Name for 5 tribes - 4 of which are in Maine- Penobscots, Passamaquoddy, MicMac, and Maliseets and the Abenaki which are in Vermont and NE Canada)
Joe "Hugga" Dana, Penobscot carver was taught by his father, Stan Neptune to chip carve. Stan is the leading authority on Maine Indian chip carving, root clubs and walking sticks. In the process of learning Penobscot myths, history, legends and stories from Senabeh, a religious elder and root club carver, Stan picked up chip carving.
Hugga is in the opinion of many one of the best, if not the best Penobscot chip carver ever. His intricate designs are always balanced, beautiful and perfect. This piece is a great example of his ability to continue a traditional art form while expanding it with his personal style adding some current ideas to blend with the traditions of his ancestors.
Talking sticks were used in tribal council meetings, the only one who could speak was the one holding the talking stick.
Talking sticks were decorated, but only here in Maine and eastern Canada do the designs include chip carving. Chip carving is unique to the North East among Native Americans. The Penobscots are part of the NE Wabanaki Confederacy includes 5 NE tribes living in Maine, Vermont and Eastern Canada; The Abenaki, Maliseet, MicMac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot.
The chip carved leafed branches you see on this stick are similar in Senahbeh, Stan Neptune, Joe Hugga Dana and Erik Sappier's work. These branches and leaves were a subject of conversation between Hugga and Erik recently. They say it is a brown ash which is a sacred tree to the Northeast Native Americans - it figures in their creation myth... they were made by an arrow piercing the brown ash tree and the splinters became the people. Please check out all the pics in the slide show to see several traditional designs around this stick.