Print – Kwakiutl Sisiutl Settee
Sisiutl is a powerful supernatural being in Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) First Nations cosmology, represented as a two-headed sea serpent, often with a humanoid face at the centre of its body. An important mediator between the natural and supernatural worlds and an ally of the shaman, Sisiutl may intercede with other supernatural beings on behalf of humans under its guardianship. Variations of the creature are found in First Nations cultures throughout the Pacific Northwest, from the Tlingit’s Grubworm to the Nuu-chah-nulth’s (Nootka’s) Mountain Snake.
Many of the features associated with depictions of Sisiutl appear in this 1972 serigraph by Tony Hunt. The serpent heads have protruding tongues and upturned noses, with spirals suggesting dilated nostrils. Crescent shapes run along the body, signifying scales. The head in the centre represents cannibal spirit Baxbakualanuxsiwae, a key figure in the Kwakwaka’wakw winter dance. All three heads are crowned with the plume-like horns associated with supernatural beings.