Ruben has carved this impressive sculpture from the skull of a bowhead whale. The transformed figure of a shaman/drum dancer emerges from the center of the sculpture, surrounded by images of bears, wolves, and birds, which often serve as spirit helpers. The figure of Sedna, the guardian of sea animals, is prominently portrayed on the upper right of the sculpture, counterbalanced by the image of a shaman (angakkuq) in a trance-like state at the upper left. On the opposite side, a group of drum dancers accompanied by images of ancestors and animals enliven the sculpture. The shaman (angakkuq) becomes the cortex of the sculpture, his vacuous head and body symbolizing a gateway to the spirit world. The carved figure of a hunter (upper right) emphasizes Inuit dependence on the hunt, while the figures of mother and child (upper left) celebrate the regeneration of human life. A small figure on the woman’s shoulder portrays a novice shaman awaiting the vision of spirit helpers.
