35 gut vessels are displayed on a shelf in the corner of the gallery.

LEGACY: RESILIENCE

resilience

  1. the power or ability of a material to return to its original form or position
  2. the ability of a person to adjust and recover readily from illness, adversity, major life changes, etc.

Legacy: Resilience focuses on gut vessels historically used in the gathering, preparation, and storage of foods and materials. In some of the vessels, the sustenance has been replaced by plastic rosaries. This installation builds upon Kelliher-Combs’ series “Forgive you Father for you have sinned.” Contemporary Alaska Native people have experienced both positive and negative exposure to religion and have lived with historical trauma and loss of identity. The vacancies are often replaced by negative life patterns, including addictions, suicide, violence, and mental illness.

This installation is for those who have suffered the wounds of abuse by clergy and the church. These traumas have become intergenerational, affecting multiple generations. It is hard to talk about these issues, but it is important to allow space and dialogue for healing and recovery of all that has been taken through the traumas of colonization.

Links below open in new window - scroll down and select "View Record."

Striped Bag
Yup’ik or Inupiaq (attributed), collected in Nome early 20th C.
Intestine (likely seal), reindeer skin, sealskin, and salmon skin.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-2389

Striped Bag
Inupiaq bag collected in Nome, likely early 20th C.
Winter-processed gut, summer-processed gut, brown bird feet (possibly swan), leather, thread.
Collected by John F. Delaney. ASM II-A-4101

Embroidered Bag
Unangax̂, collected 1888.
Intestine, cotton, embroidery floss, thread.
Gift of Agnes Swineford Shattuck. Collected by Gov. Alfred P. Swineford. ASM II-F-58

Bag for Pocket Watch
Unangax̂, collected 1881–1923.
Intestine, thread.
Gift of Jess Applegate. Collected by Samuel & Martha Applegate. ASM II-F-60

Tall Bag
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (attributed), early 20th C.
Winter-processed esophagus, muskrat fur, thread.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales.  ASM II-A-3021

Canteen
Inupiaq from King Island, collected 1910–1916.
Marine mammal intestine, ivory, wood, leather.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-4370

For those who suffered the abuse of the Catholic Church and were silenced.
- Sonya Kelliher-Combs

Soft Bag
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq or Tlingit (attributed), early 20th C.
Winter-processed bear bladder, red wool trade cloth, patterned cotton fabric, glass beads, thread.
ASM II-A-3077

Doll’s Bag
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (attributed), early 20th C.
Bearded seal intestine, fur, thread.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-4369

Large Bag for Clothing Storage
Cup’ik from Hooper Bay, likely early 20th C.
Winter-processed stomach (likely walrus), cotton, fish skin, hide (possibly once fur), cotton cord drawstring, thread.
Collected by Alfred and Elma Milotte in 1946 during filming of “The Alaskan Eskimo.” ASM II-A-6711

Bladder
Yup’ik or Iñupiaq (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Walrus bladder.
ASM UA/UC-213

Pouch
Inupiaq from King Island, likely early 20th C.
Seal bladder.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-4423

Small Decorative Bag
Unangax̂, likely early 20th C.
Intestine (likely fur seal or sea lion), cotton fabric, yarn, thread.
ASM II-F-73

Decorative Bag
Unangax̂ (attributed), 1955.
Intestine, cotton flannel fabric, yarn, fur, thread.
Gift of Dorothy and Robert Novatney. Commissioned by Lois Morey.  ASM II-A-4813

Canteen
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Winter-processed seal esophagus, muskrat fur, thread.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-3031

Tobacco bag
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Winter-processed esophagus, cotton fabric, muskrat fur, cotton drawstring, thread.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-3032

Bladder Bag
Inupiaq from Wales, collected 1928.
Marine mammal bladder, wood, leather.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-

Stomach Bag
Yup’ik or Inupiaq (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Possibly made from loon stomach, tied with string.
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Kriger. ASM 92-28-24

Section of Intestine
Unattributed, likely early 20th C.
Intestine tied off with string, possible harpoon float.
ASM II-A-275

Pouch
Inupiaq from King Island, likely early 20th C
Intestine, leather.
ASM II-A-4425

Pouch
Inupiaq from King Island, likely early 20th C.
Intestine. Contains pieces of a grinding stone.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-4424

Large Bag
Inupiaq (attributed), early 20th C.
Intestine (rim), fish skin, leather.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-2392

Caribou Bladder
Possibly Athabascan. Date unknown.
Caribou bladder, sinew.
ASM UA/UC-210

Rectangular Bag
Alutiiq/Sugpiaq from Afognak Island, possibly mid-19th C./
Gut (likely sea lion esophagus), seal fur, fur (possibly caribou), red and black pigments, yarn, thread.
Gift of Donald Clark. ASM II-F-9

Canteen with Ivory Opening
Yup’ik or Iñupiaq (attributed), early 20th C.
Intestine, ivory, leather.
ASM II-A-274

Canteen
Inupiaq from King Island, likely early 20th C.
Intestine (likely seal), ivory, stone, leather.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-4371

Pouch
Inupiaq from King Island, likely early 20th C.
Intestine, leather, ivory. Possibly associated with fishing gear.
Collected by Dr. Daniel S. Neuman. ASM II-A-4422

Bladder Bag
Iñupiaq or Yup’ik (attributed), early 20th C.
Bladder, rawhide, sinew, bone or ivory.
ASM II-A-5289

Ring of Intestine
Iñupiaq or Yup’ik (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Marine mammal intestine, plant fiber.
ASM II-A-4418

Small Embroidered Bag
Unangax̂, collected 1881–1923.
Intestine (likely fur seal or sea lion), cotton fabric, thread.
Gift of Jess Applegate. Collected by Samuel & Martha Applegate. ASM II-F-61

Small Embroidered Bag with Drawstring
Unangax̂, collected 1881-1923.
Intestine (likely fur seal or sea lion), cotton fabric, embroidery floss, thread.
Gift of Jess Applegate. Collected by Samuel & Martha Applegate. ASM II-F-62

Rectangular Bag
Alutiiq/Sugpiaq from Afognak Island, possibly mid-19th C.
Gut (likely sea lion esophagus), seal fur, fur (possibly caribou), yarn, thread.
Gift of Donald Clark. ASM II-A-4368

Tall bag
Unangax̂ or Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (attributed), likely early 20th C.
Winter-processed seal esophagus, muskrat fur, thread.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-3036

Stomach Canteen
Yup’ik or Iñupiaq (attributed), early 20th C.
Bearded seal stomach with wooden stopper. Typically carried in a kayak.
Collected before 1911 by Lt. George Thornton Emmons, likely through Louis L. Bales. ASM II-A-1280

Small Bag
Inupiaq bag collected in Nome, likely early 20th C.
Intestine, leather. Possibly to hold fishing lures.
Collected by Arnold & Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Bennett. ASM II-A-6824

Storage Bag
Gwich’in Athabascan, likely mid-20th C.
Moose bladder, wool felt, leather, thread. For storing meat, tobacco, or scraps of fur such as moose, caribou, or beaver.
1971 purchase from Annie James (Gwich’in Athabascan). ASM II-C-120