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Hometown 4q Hero g£3 f 4p\ .. ... !' * y 0 k o Jewell James maintains the ancient art of his ancestors on the Lummi Indian Reservation near Bellingham, Wash. Korwng Totems I for Healing by HEATHER LARSON I The scent of freshly cut cedar fills the air as It Jewell James chisels curls of wood from a 15-foot totem pole that he hopes Sgj will bring healing to the families of three boys killed in a 1999 gasoline IH pipeline explosion along Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, Wash, gf' As lie chips away at the 300-vear-old log in his yard on the Lummi 1 Indian Reservation, the outline of a salmon takes shape with each slice §1 of his homemade carving tool. The salmon symbolizes the fish and other I: | wildlife destroyed when a fireball ravaged more than a mile of the creek, killing Liam Wood, 18, Wade King and Stephen Tsiorvas, both 10. 11l “The pole is to restore die stream and its habitat and to remember the ft: three bovs who lost their lives,” says fames, 54, a master carver for the Lummi Nation, based near Bellingham. During the last three decades, James, with the help of fellow American Indian carvers, has created more than 60 totems to reawaken native culture and promote healing for families, communities and the nation. Three of James' most famous works The eagle symbolizes honor victims of the terrorist attacks of wisdom in totemic art. Sept. 11,2001. The totems, painted red, black, yellow and white to repre sent the races of people hurt during the attacks, were dedicated in Sterling Forest in New York, Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., respectively each September between 2002 and 2004. “We have used the totemic art as a teaching tool to help all of us learn to heal from grief, and this was the message we wanted to convey with the 9-11 poles," James says. In 1972, James began carving totems and studying the ancient art of his ancestors while attending the University of Washington in Seattle. He learned about totem designs and color patterns from master carver Marvin Oliver, who taught American Indian studies and an at the university 7 , and he gleaned even more knowledge by 7 working alongside other carvers, including his younger brother, Dale. James begins the totem-carving process by selecting a log. He prefers Western red cedars that are at least S(X) years old. The giant, old-growth trees are valued for their tall, straight trunks; soft, lightweight wood; Photos by Michael Good w iar »«i «sg !■■< ‘--‘m>«J '*'" f * aA* df. b UW^WKik l ** l ‘ s * mwm m 'l lW'■ v ’BIBWBL- I - One of James’ “healing” totems was dedicated at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., in 2004 to honor victims of the 9-11 tragedy. • www.americanprofile.com page 4 I Courtesy of Fred tone