This tattoo is worn by an unknown person, but done by a member of the Tlingit Tribe, named Nahaan. Nahaan’s goal for his work is to help people who may have fallen away from their Native culture relearn their cultural traditions. This piece in particular is a traditional hand poke tattoo of an Eagle. The Eagle in Tlingit tradition is a symbol of power, prestige, and determination. In a crest they represent kinship and a spiritual relationship with the wildlife. Nahaan also speaks of his work as permanent regalia, in this light the Eagle can also be understood as the Eagle Hat, which is an emblem of the Shungoo-kaedi moiety of the Tlingit people. The Eagle is an important symbol to the Tlingit people it tells stories that connect past generations to the future ones and the tattoos help carry a legacy of this everywhere the wearer goes, allowing them to carry a piece of the culture throughout their entire lives.
This tattoo is worn by an unknown woman and was also done by Nahaan. The tattoo is a traditional Tlingit frog. This design in Tlingit culture represents persistence and the ability to adapt and survive regardless of the environment and circumstances. Frogs in Tlingit culture are also recognized as healers and embody the spirit of renewal and cleansing. This woman’s purpose for getting this tattoo is unknown, but the meaning behind it is not. Tlingit people for centuries have been undoing the harm and trauma caused by the colonizers that came and stole their land and culture from beneath them. By getting these emblems tattooed the wearers not only get to reclaim a piece of their identity and reconnect with their ancestors, but they also get a renewed sense of self and get to heal the traumas bestowed upon them by the colonizers many years ago.
This is Nahaan the artist. He is covered head to toe with many different tattoos, that range from familial crest, to permanent regalia. Nahaan’s facial markings are the center focus for this part of the exhibit. Facial Markings are seen as an honor to receive in the Tlingit culture, they represent his heritage and connection with the spiritual world, but for Nahaan they also hold a deeper meaning, one of activism. Nahaan’s markings allow him to feel a regained sense of identity with his culture, which he lost a connection with in his youth. To Nahaan they are healing, and have helped him earn 20 years of sobriety. By reconnecting with the tradition of tattooing and finding a way to bring new meaning to a part of his culture that was banned by the colonizers, Nahaan has earned the honor of having facial markings that set him apart from others in today's society, but bring him closer to his traditions and culture.