The art in the Gentle Tarot and My Friend Fire was created on and inspired by the lands of multiple indigenous nations in three separate regions of Alaska. My own indigenous roots are Chichimeca and Wixárika in Zacatecas, Central México. I plan to eventually release a completely new Gentle Tarot based on my homeland. Returning is important soul work for me, and I have long envisioned a deck with artwork inspired by the landscapes of my homeland. If you would like to support my reconnection and experience behind-the-scenes updates, please join our community in Patreon. This post includes links to resources for learning more about the indigenous nations in Alaska whose lands have inspired my art, and how to donate to programs that directly support them. All photos are from my personal collection.

Iluulux̂ : The lands of the Unangax̂

The Gentle Tarot was born in the Summer of 2020 in the homelands of the Unangax̂ in Iluulux̂ (Unalaska), a remote island in the Aleutian Islands chain. Why did you go there? I worked for the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska. Most of the art was inspired and created between 2017 and 2021, while I was living on the island either full or part time. Add 1-2 sentences about living there or wildlife/nature imagery that was inspiring. 

One of the most common wild animals in the Aleutian Islands is the red fox. The Gentle Tarot's Hermit Card was inspired by imagining what it must be like for them to live through the extreme Aleutian winter. When I spotted them on the island, I imagined the cozy, earthen dens they use to shelter against the roaring wind, snow, and cold outside. 

For the Gentle Tarot's Strength card, I decided to depict a humpback whale, a seasonal visitor in the waters surrounding the Aleutians. The first time I saw one of these gentle giants up close from a small boat in the bay of Unalaska, it changed me forever. Their tremendous size, power, and grace radiates through every cell in your body. They way in which they exude both tenderness and power inspired me to feature this animal in the Gentle Tarot's image of strength. 

The Gentle Tarot's Hierophant card depicts a cormorant, a red-faced sea bird that is almost exclusive to Alaska and very common in the Aleutian archipelago. I chose the cormorant, a common sighting during my time in Unalaska, because the ancientness of seabirds inspired me to think about ancestry in a way that everyone would hopefully be able to connect with. 

The Tower card in the Gentle Tarot was inspired by my experience of living in direct relationship with the seas and winds on Unalaska. The wind I experienced on the Bering Sea is the most powerful I have ever experienced anywhere. After having spent three years on the island, I embrace the wind as a teacher and friend. The imagery for The Tower card came to me very quickly; it was the card I was most excited about illustrating. The closeness and strength of the elements in the Aleutian Islands inspired me to think about calm amidst the chaos. This card continues to be one of my favorite cards because I truly believe in the potential of these Tower moments. 

The following films, Usugilix Awakun and Building Husitux̂, were produced by Unangax creators and friends, names, who were present (lived close by, visited me in the evenings) while the Gentle Tarot was being birthed in a small off-the-grid cabin while I was doing wild salmon field work. Their films speak to the history of the island and the Unangan people, colonization, and Unangan culture and traditions in connection to the environment. I hold so much reverence for names and the important work they are doing for their communities and for indigenous people worldwide. Iluulux̂ is forever in my heart and I am so grateful for the years that I had the privilege of connecting with this special island. 

If you are interested in supporting the community, you can donate to Camp Qungayuux, the tribe’s youth camp that was created to preserve Unangan lifestyle and customs within future generations.

Usugilix Awakun from Spruce Tone on Vimeo.

Kodiak Island: The lands of the Sun'aq

From 2014 to 2017, I worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, collecting data on wild salmon on the Kodiak Island Archipelago. I worked with one other colleague at a time on off-the-grid field camps during the summer season. We were tracking the salmon and rebuilding blah blah. 1 sentence about having no reception, what you did in the evening. The bears in my work are artistic interpretations of individual bears I had the honor of co-existing with during this period of my life. Kodiak Island is home to X bear species. While their populations on the island have diminished, it is still one of the best places in Alaska to spot bears. They usually make themselves visible in the evening, when we were finishing our work. One morning, I saw an X bear close to the river. Say something about another plant/animal that appears in your work? 

The Fool card in the Gentle Tarot depicts a wild salmon making its way from the ocean, through a river and into a lake during high tide.

"I am the juvenile little salmon fish, letting my body drift perfectly
downstream, towards the big unknown...Here is the start of a journey - there is one direction, and that is your direction. The baby salmon does not hesitate. In the same way that their DNA guides their life, following your lifepath is also in yours."

The Empress card in the Gentle Tarot depicts a sea lion. These sea lions were some of the first wildlife that I spotted off of Kodiak island. Sea lion in Unangan = qawax̂, pronounced caw-akh

"Similar to the removal of Page, Knight, King, and Queen, I am
replacing the Emperor with this finned relative that means so much
to so many past and present indigenous peoples."

The Chariot card in the Gentle Tarot depicts a grizzly bear.

The art for this card is inspired by the prowess of a
grandma grizzly that I coexisted with while working remotely on
Kodiak Island, Alaska. On the Ayakulik River, which leads to Red
Lake, there lives a matriarch my co-worker Brad and I lovingly refer
to as Chocolate Thunder. Early mornings, she can be seen warming
up with the sun’s rays, in the shallows of the river, scratching herself
as if rubbing the sleepies out of her eyes, patiently on the hunt
for breakfast. (Learn more about her in the Flower of Stones card
description.) I am ever thankful for the opportunity to have shared the river with her daily and to have been inspired by her beautiful energy.

If you are interested in supporting the Sun'aq, you can donate to Alutiiq Museum, which celebrates and preserves Alutiiq/Sun'aq heritage and culture and serves the community through events and activities. 

Southeast Alaska: the lands of the Sugpiaq, Dena'ina, and the Ninilchik Village Tribe

The Kenai Coast on the Gulf of Alaska is the homeland of the Sugpiaq. The Southern Kenai Peninsula is the homeland of the Ninilchik Village Tribe. So-called Anchorage is the homeland of the Dena'ina.

If you are interested in supporting tribes in Southeast Alaska, you can donate to Sealaska Heritage Institute. 

For an in-depth description of the inspiration behind my art, please consider the Gentle Tarot full-size guidebook, which includes life stories and symbolism for each card and its illustration. 

"The unconditional love and magic found in nature is the same magic within us, ready to heal, love and rejoice with us."