ART IN YOUR BACKYARD
The Watchman Kootéeyaas - Part II
In the summer 2025 issue of the Sitka Arts Guide, we introduced the story of two remarkable totem poles taking shape right here in Sitka - The Watchman Kootéeyaas. Featured under the “Art in Your Backyard” banner, these poles were actually born in our neighbors’ backyard.
“Kootéeyaa” is the Tlingit word for storyboard - a messenger of history, culture, and lineage. Across Southeast Alaska, Kootéeyaas stand as living witnesses to the stories and values of the region’s Indigenous peoples.
Three Sitka men are bringing these new poles to life: Reggie Peterson, master carver; his son Will Peterson, project manager and carver; and Will’s brother-in-law José Figueroa, apprentice carver.
When the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida (CCTHITA) and the Alaska Department of Public Safety put out a call for artists to create two totem poles for the Public Safety Training Academy, the Peterson family answered. Their charge: to design, carve, and install twin Tlingit-style Kootéeyaas that would honor public-safety officers, symbolize the protection of our communities, and preserve the cultural heritage of the Tlingit and Haida tribes of the region.
“The 22-foot log from Sealaska Corporation arrived safely in May,” Will recalls. “It’s high-quality red cedar from Prince of Wales Island - old-growth wood that’s increasingly rare and deeply valued in our culture.” With help from Makai at Marble Construction, the log was transported to UAS where the carvers cut it into two 11-foot sections, destined to become the Raven Watchman and the Eagle Watchman.
The Tlingit adze (Xút’aa) is both instrument and ancestor in the hand.
Sitka saw a lot of rain in 2025 which added to the challenge and rhythm of the work. The team repeatedly shifted the heavy cedar indoors and out, aided by staff and a forklift from the University of Alaska Southeast. “Each log weighs two to three thousand pounds - more when soaked,” Will notes. “The university’s support made a huge difference, and we’re so grateful for their help.”
Before carving, the team built two scale models - one inch to one foot - to serve as their roadmap. “That model keeps everyone aligned,” Will explains. “We refer to it constantly, from roughing out the shapes to carving the fine details. It bridges our different levels of experience and keeps the design consistent with my dad’s vision.”
Symbolically, the two poles balance one another. “Because the project stands on Tlingit Aaní (Tlingit land), it was essential to represent both moieties, Eagle and Raven,” Will says. “Together they express unity and reciprocity within our culture.”
Reggie elaborates: “One figure will be a Raven with a long beak, the other an Eagle with a shorter hooked beak. Their hats and details will differ too. The Watchman is a Haida symbol, so in those features we’re representing everyone.”
Before carving, the team built two scale models - one inch to one foot - to serve as their roadmap.
Carving tools carry their own lineage. The Tlingit adze (Xút’aa) is both instrument and ancestor in the hand of a carver. “This summer my dad made several new adzes for us,” Will says. “Some didn’t hold up, so we’ve been experimenting with different designs to find what works best. My own adze lasted sixteen years before giving out. It was patterned after my dad’s favorite, which has been faithfully hacking away for over four decades and is still going strong.”
“A project of this magnitude naturally moves at its own pace - much like the growth of a mighty cedar tree, centuries old, flourishing in harmony with the seasons. When we align our efforts with what’s truly best for everyone involved, things unfold in their own divine timing,” explains Will. “Rather than rushing, we trust the process, knowing that each step happens when it’s meant to, ensuring the highest quality and meaning in our work.”
Reggie sums it up with a smile: “To be a totem carver is to know a lot—to face a piece of paper or a log and seek perfection. You learn one thing after another. That’s why I call it the magnificent madness.”
More Articles From This Issue
Sitka Is…
A Perennial Garden of Artistic Expression
In Sitka, “bloom where you’re planted” takes on a life of its own. While some may view the long, dark winter as a time to hibernate, Sitkans know better. Winter is when creative energy begins to stir. Beneath the rain and overcast skies, the community becomes a fertile ground for imagination, collaboration, and artistic risk-taking.
Belly Meat
200 Years of Making Music
At the center of Sitka’s vibrant music scene, three men carry a sound as local as the tide and as timeless as a good story. Belly Meat, the trio of Ted Howard, Ernie Eggleston, and Gary Gouker, has been playing together for about 15 years. They blend blues, rock and roll, and folk with Southeast Alaska humor to make a uniquely homegrown sound.
Christian Litten
An Artist Profile
When Christian Litten walks into a room, the temperature changes. The laughter loosens. Nerves settle. Ideas multiply. Again and again, those who know him use the same words: generous, passionate, fearless, kind.
The Art of the Unexpected
Zeke & Cassidy Present Two Nights of Improv
“Just so you know – this is insane, what I’m about to tell you,” warns Cassidy Russell, long-time improv and sketch comedy teacher at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, recounting an absurd and memorable performance at camp this summer.