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Shangukeidi Kooteeyaa
Thunderbird
White Bear
House Lowered From The Sun

The Shangukeidi, who are of the Eagle moiety, are identified as the Thunderbird clan. Their oral traditions vary in identifying the clan's original homeland. One account points to the Naas River in British Columbia, from where they migrated to the interior of Alaska & then to the coast. Another speaks of a migration from the interior to the Alsek River. Another account disputes these interior origins & migration to the coast. It instead speaks of a coastal migration & cites a "boat song" & "big, big ocean-type waves." In this account, they landed on an Island known as Shaan or Shanguka, warred with the original inhabitants, & took their name, Shangukeidi.


Clan Member In Uniform
Designs
The designs on the Shnagukeidi totem pole include four of their crests. The Thunderbird, White Bear, & House Lowered from the Sun were obtained through supernatural encounters. The bottom crest represents a historical encounter with a US Military officer who failed to adequately compensate the Shangukeidi. As payment for this debt, they took his name & the military uniform.

Carver
Jackson Polys, Tlingit Master Artist, Saxman
Apprentices: Christian Dalton, Tim Flanery, Raymond "Took" Gregory, Rico Worl

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