Soul Carrier
Ritchie Stardreamer Sinclair
Acrylic on Canvas, 34" x 58", 2011
----------------------
The fish, sacred trout, was the most respected of all fish. The trout gave the Indian life in abundance and according to Ojibwa Indian mythology it represented his soul carrier. The trout carried the Indian soul through transmigration into an other existence in the supernatural or reincarnation. All this belief worked for the betterment of the Indian food in reality - faith in the supernatural.
Norval Morrisseau
Spirit of the Sacred Trout
Ritchie Stardreamer Sinclair
Acrylic on Canvas, 26" x 60", 2011
--------------------
Symbolic Interpretation of the Logoic Artwork
A commission for the Kolapore Springs Fishery of Blue Mountain, Ontario
The Thunderbird dominates this image as the totemic spirit of the Sacred trout. The Crests of the wings of the Thunderbird symbolize The Blue Mountains of Ontario, Canada. Twelve feathers symbolize 12 months and year-round "sustainability". The Inlay energy streams symbolize the "natural" environment and resources of Kolapore Springs. The Kolapore Springs themselves are symbolized by two "vortexes" central to each wing of the Thunderbird.
Gently rising, the Sacred Trout and its overshadowing Thunderbird Spirit move forward together in perfect accord with one another. The tail fin of the Sacred Trout suggests other fish arising out of her vibration. The contrasting balance of the blues and reds feels both refreshing and exhilarating. Blue throughout represents the cool purity of the springs. Warm reds represent the life within the fishery.