To celebrate the return of the Omashkooz, the elk, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission asked Howes to create a piece of art to celebrate. Howes took the woodland style and combined it with her Ojibwe floral aesthetic to create Omashkooz and Return of the Medicines.
Here the omashkooz and her descendant carry the medicines which also return as part of a healthy ecosystem, healthy people, and healthy living.
These medicines feature prominently in Howes' contemporary floral designs. "Our florals are meant to tell a story. They tell about our medicines, our foods, and our way of life. This is why I utilize the beloved wild rice, ode'imin (strawberry), blueberry, raspberry, maple buds (maple syrup), dogwood flower (for traditional tobacco), and fiddleheads (for food and ceremony. These represent so much about our beautiful way of life."
The newest 18 x 24 poster is available from glifwc at lynn@glifwc.org
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