Living in Two Worlds (Frog Human Transformation), c. 2000
Greg White Lightbown, Haida First Nation
hand carved argillite
4.75" high x 4.75" long x 3" deep
Haida stories frequently depict Frog as Raven’s wife, child or alter ego. In Haida mythology, Creek Woman, who lives in a stream and whose family is Frog, is one of Raven’s wives. Many Indigenous groups associate Frog with bountiful wealth and copper, the most important symbol of power, status and prestige. It is said that legendary Haida princes attended feasts wearing necklaces of living frogs to exhibit their status.
Frogs are held in high regard by many Indigenous groups due to their ambition and ability to prosper in a varied set of environments. As a creature who can live in two worlds, Frogs are praised for their capability to inhabit diverse realms, both natural and supernatural. Frogs adjust with ease to their new environment and communicate effortlessly between different realms.
Argillite, or Kwawhlahl in the Haida language, is a unique black, carbonaceous shale, found only on Slatechuck Mountain on Haida Gwaii (also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands), an archipelago off British Columbia’s west coast, in Canada. The Haida people have exclusive rights to quarry and carve argillite.
