ETHICS & HISTORY

"Ivory carving has been a long heritage that’s been passed down from one generation to the next and still goes on to this day. I am very proud to be a part of this Legacy and to have had the privilege to have learned from so many great artists to continue the connection with our ancestors the oldest ivory artifacts found on Saint Lawrence island. The practice dates back as far as 200 BC. Walrus Ivory is a byproduct from subsistence Walrus hunting. Gas and groceries are very expensive on Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska, and we still rely on marine mammals for food. The ocean is our grocery store. Walrus hunting is very regulated and only Alaskan Natives are allowed to hunt and carve Walrus Ivory under the Marine Mammal Act placed in 1972. Once it’s carved into art work by an Alaskan Native artist, any one can own it" - Dennis Pungowiyi

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For additional information on the Alaska Marine Mammal Act of 1972, please follow this link to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to learn more.