Carving Alaskan Native Culture

I walked into Mike Webber’s workshop for the first time on a cold February morning as he was sanding an eight-foot-long log emblazoned with designs and symbols representing Pacific Northwest Coast Art. What began as one interview and an hour of B-Roll became a months’ long documentation of Mike’s carving progression. In addition to representing native communities from the area, the finished totems embody a unity of art, culture, and science that represents the small fishing town of Cordova, Alaska, nestled on the shores of Prince William Sound. The totems now stand vigil at the entrance of the new Prince William Sound Science Center.

The video premiered during the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival in front of patrons at the city’s local theater. The video also played during the grand opening of the Science Center.