Mora Clan is a tribute to my older daughter’s family and their Native American heritage. The sculpture began with the single most distinctive attribute common to all members of the Mora family…their hair. Some of the components of this piece materialized with little or no conscious effort. The braid required a surprising level of research. Native American cultures view their hair as their most important physical attribute. The taking of a scalp symbolized ownership of an enemy’s most prized possession.
Throughout history the eagle served as a sacred sign of strength and courage to indigenous people. It occupies a position of prominence in Mora Clan, flying through a traditional Cherokee necklace made of, bone, wooden beads and cat claws.
The moon permeates my daughter’s psyche. It evolved in Mora Clan without conscious thought, the North Star, Polaris, is located to the northwest. The Big Dipper rotates about the North Star every 24 hours, enabling the Ancients to tell time .
The deer track, bathed in the light of the moon,
also emerged without conscious effort.
The deer was the most important animal
to Native Americans,
providing food, clothing,
and antlers used for a wide variety
of tools and ceremonial decorations.
The symbol of eternity loops down
beside the Yin-Yang of the East
against a backdrop of eagle feathers.
The large arrowhead points to the south
in the direction of the origin of the Trail of Tears.
The Cherokee Nation was forced from their land
onto reservations in the name of westward expansion.
The smaller traditional arrowhead
at the tip of the braid points southwest
to Alabama and Mexico,
native roots of the Mora family.