Emissary Print by Three Trees Art

11″ x 14″ Unframed Matted Decorative
(Fits standard 11″ x 14″ frame). Each item is packaged in an acid-free, resealable clear bag.

Among the principle Dodems (clans) of the Anisihnaabek are the members of the Fish Clan, who are said to be teachers possessing knowledge of the world that needs to be imparted to others. However, as fish are relegated to the realms of water, they are in need of one who can carry their teachings to others. This special role falls to Turtle (Makkinak), chief figure among the fish clans, who is able to dwell both below the waters and upon the land. As such, Turtle is said to be a communicator, possessing the ability to speak the languages of all beings who dwell upon Mother Earth — those of the waters, land and air – and therefore acts as an emissary for all.
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In this piece, one can see the prominence of Turtle setting out into the world to relay the important knowledge as imparted by all those gathered around her, to we human beings, rendered on the right. The prospect of Turtle as a ‘communicator’ strikes a paradoxical tone given that they do not produce readily audible sounds, and who, given the apparent absence of ears, were once thought by early science to be deaf. However, later science has been able to determine that their ears are, in fact, internal. In other words, it is this subtle yet vital internal mechanism that helps them understand and navigate the external world. This characteristic only heightens the importance of Turtle’s symbol for humanity, demonstrating the importance of the unseen, as the deepest truths about ourselves and our world are discerned through our internal, many would say “spiritual,” faculties. And have not the events of 2020 presented humanity with an urgent call to listen more deeply to those beings with whom we share this planet, in order to understand our responsibility in ensuring the health and well-being of our precious home!

Mark Nadjiwan is a self-taught artist whose chosen medium is pen and ink, working in archival acrylic inks on acid and lignen-free illustration boards. His unique style is a fusion of several artistic traditions, and includes the Indigenous inspired designs of both the Woodland and West Coast schools, as well as non-Indigenous approaches such as realism. Mark’s work can be found in numerous venues across Canada as well as private collections in Canada, the United States and Europe. In November of 2022, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. His First Nation roots are grounded in the Georgian Bay and Lake Superior Treaty regions, and he is a citizen/member of Neyaashiinigmiing Unceded First Nation. Mark lives on the traditional and current territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON), in Treaty 72, along with his wife, Patricia Gray, who is also an artist, working in acrylic mediums.