Artist Robert Pictou has created some of the most beautiful beadwork and has shared the story with us. The Ancestor Face used in this design represents the spirit of life: a shared heritage between people, land & animals. —all things that have power and life of their own. - The Ancestor Face medicine bag is then sewn onto smoked native tanned deer hide. The same hide is used as a braid for the necklace. The braid represents the person in three realms, Mind/Spirit/Body. The three woven together are stronger than each standing alone.  Finished off with copper beads (Trade Beads of others) on the necklace to represent the four seasons of a persons life, infant, youth, adult, elder. Each bag is also finished off with Red White hearts or Hudson Bay beads and copper cones. Here in the Northwest Coast, copper is symbol of status and wealth.
- The Ancestor Face medicine bag is “seeded” with at 1967 copper penny. There are several reasons for this. First is mentioned above, copper is symbol of status in wealth here in the Northwest Coast. Second, in 1967, Canada celebrated its centennial birthday by minting all its coins with animals. The Rock Dove was chosen for the penny. Third, my sister Virginia Sue Pictou was born that year. ‘Gin as we called her, lived life to fullest until she disappeared (#MMIWG) in 1993. My hope is that with each wearer of Ancestor Medicine bag will contribute a tiny bit of energy out to the universe so some day we can bring Virginia home.