Dave McGary

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The Emergence of the Chief
Masterwork 37"h
Bronze with Patina and Paint


"The Emergence of the Chief" honors the Iriquios Confederacy & specifically the Mohawk peoples of North America. In matriarchal societies, the clan mothers have the powers to elect or impeach the Mowhawk Chief. This newly appointed Mohawk chief wears the gus-to-weh headdress & holds a condolence cane designating him as the head chief of the Mohawk Nation.
The clan mother is presenting the chief with the Two Row Wampum Belt. the two dark rows of the belt represent the canoe & the sailing ship, a metaphor for the relationship between the First Nation peoples and the European settlers. The belt tells the story of how the two peoples navigate the same waters & exist in harmony, never interfering with each other while treating each other with respect.