This sculpture represents the passing of the way of life among western Arctic Inuvialuit during the second half of the 1890s. With the arrival of commercial whaling and exploration in the Beaufort Sea, the traditional way of life was forever changed. Along with material changes to the culture, the Inuvialuit spiritual beliefs were also affected. The boat represents the passage of the old beliefs. The oarsmen are men, animals, birds, and spirits. Beneath the boat, Sedna and her sea mammals carry her boat into the setting sun. The spirals hovering above the boat are made of antler and represent the northern lights, showing the way to their ancestors. --Abraham Anghik Ruben (from YUA: Spirit of the Arctic: Highlights from the Thomas G. Fowler Collection 2020, p. 40)