Ben Henry - Eagles 'n Things
Six Nations Reserve (Onondaga)
Biography
Ben Henry, Tay Hon Die Ta (Piercing Heaven), was born on January 18, 1950 into the Onondaga Tribe, a member of the Deer Clan. He is a traditionalist which means that he is not a member of the band, observes the old teachings and does not accept government funding. He moved to St. Catherines from Oshweken at age seven. Ben moved back to Oshweken in his early teens, worked as a steel worker on high rises and eventually established his own construction company.
He started wood carving at seventeen and changed to steatite ( commonly refered to as soapstone) in 1982. He is self-taught and his works have been featured in shows since 1984.
Ben's works are displayed throughout North America, Japan, Australia and Europe. Specifically, they are located in Ontario at the Barber Gallery - Guelph, Deerhurts Resort - Huntsville, Graystone Galler - Waterloo, Marten Arts Gallery - Bayfeild, and Milcroft Inn - Alton.
Ben has been commissioned to create corporate gifts and employee awards. Ben's art was used as centerpieces at a Wilfrid Laurier University's Golden Hawks fundraising dinner. Ben also carvers bears, wolve, dolphins and custom sculptures.
Ben Henry, an Onodaga Indian, and his wife Loreene, a Cayuga Indain, live and work on the Six Nations Indain Reserve in Ontario, Canada. With their children, Ben Jr., Leroy, Clifton and Stacey, the family creates traditional Native soapstone carvings.
No two pieces are ever alike and each piece is signed and dated by its carver.
Ben Henry says, "It is very rewarding for us to share our skills and beliefs with every person who sees and purchases our carvings."
Enjoy graceful quality and Native flair of these beautiful and unique creations.
The Art
The Eagle
The Eagle sees everything because it soars higher than any other living thing. It provides protection from trouble by being a gardian.
Spirit of the Eagel, Bear & Wolf
Spirit of the Eagel, Bear & Wolf is symbolized by the hole in the carving. Ben feels taht even though you can't see the sprit it is there like the human spirit.
The Dreamer
The Dreamer is a name Ben gave to this carving. The eyse are closed and depicts waht we would call a psychic - able to see the the future.
Gardian of the Dreamer / People
Gardian of the Dreamer / People places the eagle above the subject carving because the eagle soars above all and is able to see trouble coming from further away. This combination is more powerful for seeing into the future or guarding the people from danger.
Decision Maker
Decision Maker - The chief is the political and religious leader noted by his position above the two belt wampum, which is a symbol of power and authority. He will inform you of his decision later.
The Great Tree of Peace
The Great Tree of Peace is surmounted bya a guardian eagle as noted in a previous description. This is representative of a tree, near Syracuse, NY legend says, where the five tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy buried their weapons so their grand-children would have peace among the tribes.
These tribes are the Onodaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca and Mohawk. The Tuscarora joined later. This confederacy was the model used by the United States and the United Nations for their constitutions.
Mother Earth
Mother Earth is illustrated by the turtle, which surfaced from the ocean to carry the people and provide a place to live.
The turtle Ben carves is more modern in appearance and for variety often shows the Great Tree of Peace on the carapace of Mother Earth. The eagle is above the tree and the four roots on the bottom symbolize the four points of the compass, which any tribe wanting protection could follow to saftey.
The Guaridan of Mother Earth
The Guaridan of Mother Earth is the protector of all living things.
The Family Circle
The Family Circle is a carving portraying the family unit. Ben was asked to provide a logo for the Family Counselling Centre in Brantford, Ontario during National Family Week in 1990 and decided on this carving. These carvings have been given as gifts for weddings and anniversaries.
The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters symbolize corn, beans, and squash which give everything needed to survive. The three seeds were planted together in small cultivated hills (the method for agriculture). Each complements the other - beans producing nitrogen, corn using it and squash providing shade and moisture retention with its leaves.
Geology of the Art
The stone used for carving is steatite - which is imported from the United States and Brazil. It contains high grade talc and feels slippery or soapy.
Its components are: mica, pyrite, soapstone (talc), lime, and serpentine. The various colours are produced by the percentage of each mineral in the stone. The rock could have green, black, brown, white and gold tone colours, which complements Ben's art.
Caring for Your Carving
To care for your carving, a simple dusting with a water dampened soft cloth is sufficient. Please DO NOT use furniture cleaners since the lacquer finish may become damaged.
