Photography by Mike Baker

While we were in Canada last year, we saw some beautiful rings made by the Kwagiulth artist Carey Newman. Although the sizes weren’t available in the designs we wanted, he made us some, and we love them so much that I photographed them to go on our wedding invitations. Mine is the larger, Eagle design, and my wife-to-be chose the Raven. Both birds have significance in native Canadian culture:-

• Raven is the most important of all the creatures to the First Peoples of the Northwest Coast. He is the transformer and the trickster, and the cultural hero. Raven also symbolises creation, prestige and knowledge. He can be identified by a long, straight beak, often holding a round image of the sun, which symbolises the light he gave to the world.
• Eagle can be a symbol of power. Eagle belongs to the supernatural world and is next in line to Thunderbird. The down from the Eagle is a symbol of peace, and would be sprinkled before guests in welcome dances. Eagle feathers are used in ritual, and as decoration for masks and other carvings. Eagle’s beak is shorter than Raven’s and has a downward curve. The tongue is often evident.

You can see more of Carey Newman’s work here.