These carved panels are made from red and yellow cedar and painted with acrylic paint. Raven is carved on red cedar, and Eagle is carved on yellow cedar. Nanum Gaack, Kevin Clevenger, created the adze texturing on the Raven panel.

In Tlingit society clans are divided into opposite sides, often Yéil (Raven) and Ch'áak' (Eagle), which create balance and harmony. Raven is identified by the longer straight beak and Eagle with the shorter curved beak.

"These are the first pieces I've carved - Raven was the first and Eagle was the second. I have been apprenticing with Kevin Clevenger since 2023.

I took the Formline class taught by Reg Davidson this year. He offered me an apprenticeship after that class. I worked with him for ten days and helped with the Raven pole he just raised in Craig.

My first totem pole raising was this August. It was my first solo pole, with Kevin walking me through the process. It's a twin pole. I carved the female figure and Kevin carved the male figure. Both are nine feet long and carved from yellow cedar.

Carving feels like a special connection with my ancestors, being able to carry on their traditions. It's amazing what they could do, and it feels like a huge honor to carry that on and share it with people who want to learn about it.

Practicing our culture was illegal for so long, and so much of it was lost. People were taught to be ashamed of their culture, now we are proud and growing up with it. It feels like a resurgence, there were so many pole raisings this summer."

- Wesley Pawlik-Jensen