Can you imagine the disbelief of Tokahe that night when he led the seven families onto this earth? Instead of a sunny paradise, they were in a dark and foreboding place. Instead of a courteous man, Iktomi laughed at their misery. Instead of a beautiful host, Anunk Ite’s ugly face frightened them. Iktomi, of course, was gleeful, because there now were people on this earth for him to prank.

This remarkable tableau by Iris Sully-Sorensen, carved from a single log of wood, depicts the children fleeing from Anunk Ite while Tokahe kneels in shame at the devastating realization that his aspiration to be a leader, which he briefly realized in safely leading the scouts and now these families, has been crushed. The people can no longer count on him, and therefore he is no longer their leader. Working from this solid log, Iris carved the rough outline of the Black Hills and the cave opening with a chain saw, exploring the grain and texture of the wood as she went. “See the gray in the wood?” she asked. “The more I carved, the more it felt like the wind on the prairie.” The fine details of each character were carved and whittled to add emotion and intensity to the moment of anguish, panic and terror. The figures were all carved in place and therefore are an integral part of the log.

It was a hard scene for Iris to carve. “It is so dark and emotional. My artwork generally is about celebration and standing up tall and prideful.” But rather than celebration, Iris was asked to deal with themes of betrayal, shame, self-doubt and fear, as Tokahe and his family discover that the world above is nothing like the promised land that Iktomi had fabricated for them. Though Iktomi is not depicted in the piece, his negative influence can be seen in all the figures. Tokahe is shamed by Iktomi’s deceit. Anunk Ite is desperate in her attempt to comfort the children, while they, hungry, thirsty and frightened, flee from the ugly side of her face. “I wanted to show the sadness. I felt bad for Tokahe. He had tried to do what he thought was best for his people, but he had failed. As a mother, I felt bad for Anunk Ite. She is standing with her arms outstretched, to greet the children. Seeing them flee must have been heartbreaking.”

At night they came to a strange place and the children cried for food and drink. Then Iktomi appeared and laughed at their misery and Tokahe was shamed. The double-woman appeared to comfort them, but they saw her horrid face, and fled from her in terror.