Smudge Feathers

We are excited to welcome the work of Tonya Hoches Bettles Herrera, an Alutiiq Seal Featured Artist!

Tonya Has been making Native Art since she was 6 years old and learned from her mother and grandmother's!

She is both Chugach Descendent and Native American enrolled to the Umatilla Tribe in Oregon.

These beautiful pieces were created to replicate the eagle and owl feathers traditionally used in making smudge feathers, meaningful tools for cleansing and purification through prayer and good intentions to bless your space, yourself, or others.

Fun Fact:
The Alutiiq word for “feather” is qayuq, and feathers are deeply symbolic in Alutiiq culture representing connection to the spiritual world, prayers carried on the wind, and protection. By recreating traditional smudge feathers, Tonya carries forward generations of ancestral wisdom and artistry in every piece.