Description
After I drafted these two fish onto the paper I felt the rush of these lovely Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) coming back into the streams to spawn. All the Arctic Char living above a latitude of 64 degrees North, winter in coastal waters moving into rivers to spawn.These sea-run char grow to about twenty-six pounds. During the hormonal change that takes place at this time they transform from their silvery blue with red-ringed white spots (represented by the fish on the right) into the vivid, marvelous colours of the fish on the left.
After laying the washes in the fish in its’ full spawning colours I quit for the day. That night I dreamt of the serpent fish masks within this char. Upon research I believe these masks to be representative of a spirit called Sisiyutl also spelled Sisioohl, Si’siul,Sisiutl, and Siskiyutl. It is a double headed serpent that guards the house of the sky people. It can transform into a fish or a self propelled canoe, its’ glance able to kill and enemy or turn him into stone. A perfect duality the Sisiyutl is able to deal both death and power.
