Rico Lanáat’ Worl’s design ‘Raven Story,’ shown here, is thought to be the first Tlingitp-designed art to be featured on a stamp, available beginning in 2021. (Courtesy Image / Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Rico Lanáat’ Worl’s design ‘Raven Story,’ shown here, is thought to be the first Tlingitp-designed art to be featured on a stamp, available beginning in 2021. (Courtesy Image / Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Putting his stamp on it: Tlingit artist creates Northwest Coast design for USPS

The stamp will become available in 2021.

In 2021, the United States Postal Service will release what is though to be its first stamp designed by a Tlingit artist, depicting Raven, a being represented in many traditional Tlingit stories.

Rico Lanáat’ Worl, artist and co-founder of local company Trickster Company, designed the stamp, titled “Raven Story,” modeled after a traditional Tlingit tale.

“The story I’m referencing is ‘Raven and the Box of Daylight.’ It’s probably one of the most depicted stories in Tlingit art,” Worl said in a phone interview. “It’s a national platform, so I wanted to make sure there’s a good entry point for others to learn from.”

“Raven Story” will be Tlingit culture’s second showing in the medium of American stamps. The first was Tlingit artist Nathan Jackson’s performance of a Raven dance, released in 1996. This will the first Tlingit design to be featured on a stamp, one of only a few Alaska Native or Native American designs featured on stamps, Worl said.

[Update: Man arrested for murder at senior living facility]

“I think, right now, there’s this very big movement for authentic representation. “It’s absolutely an honor to be a part of that movement and to have such a big platform to represent,” Worl said. “It would be great if there was a series where more Native designers were featured. I think that would be really empowering for Native people.”

Rico Lanáat’ Worl, Tlingit artist and founder of Trickster Company, is the designer of a new stamp featuring original Northwest Coast art that will be released in 2021, the first of its kind. (Courtesy photo / Donavan Johnson)

Rico Lanáat’ Worl, Tlingit artist and founder of Trickster Company, is the designer of a new stamp featuring original Northwest Coast art that will be released in 2021, the first of its kind. (Courtesy photo / Donavan Johnson)

The process of working with the United States Postal Service to design the stamp took about seven to eight months, Worl said. Worl worked with art director Antonio Alcalá, designer of many other stamps, including a series dedicated to the all-Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team of World War II renown, to be released in 2021 as well.

“It was a huge honor to be invited to participate. I also felt the weight of needing to represent well since I was showcasing as a Tlingit artist on a national platform,” Worl said in a Sealaska Heritage Institute news release. “I hope that as a designer I can represent on a national scale the modernity of Native people — that we’re engaged in modern culture while still carrying forward our traditional heritage.”

Worl said he selected a moment in this raven story that many people would find relatable, the razor edge between success and failure as Raven escapes from a clan house as he’s transforming back from his human into raven form.

“For sure as an entrepreneur, I run a business with my family the concept of success or failure weighs on me a lot with having my family involved and their investment in it. It’s a theme,” Worl said. “I wanted to tap into the drama of it. I wanted to bring out that one little aspect, where there’s excitement and drama and moments of risk in traditional culture.”

Where can you buy them?

Nowhere yet.

The stamps are scheduled to be released in 2021 but a date is not yet set, Worl said. An event was scheduled to recognize the stamps amid Celebration 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic led to it being canceled, Worl said. SHI spokesperson Kathy Dye said a date has not yet been set for the rescheduled event.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

More in News

(Juneau Empire File)
Aurora forecast for the week of Nov. 27

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File
Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at last year’s Gallery Walk on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.
An abundance of traditional and new ways to capitalize on this year’s Gallery Walk

More than 50 events scheduled Friday afternoon and evening from downtown to Douglas.

This view is from Wrangell on Sept. 11, 2022. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT)
Conservation group supports formation of new Alaska Native corporations

The conservation group the Wilderness Society has changed its position and now… Continue reading

From her hospital bed on Friday, Nov. 24, Christina Florschutz demonstrates how she pulled pajama bottoms that she found in the landslide debris over her legs, arms and head to keep warm. Her house was destroyed in the landslide, and after spending the night in the wreckage, she was rescued the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 21. (Caroleine James / Wrangell Sentinel)
Elementary school aide who survived Wrangell landslide calls circumstances a miracle

Christina Florschutz trapped overnight by landslide that killed at least 4 people, with 2 missing.

Lylah Habeger (left) and Jaila Ramirez lead the Konfeta Corps during a rehearsal of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at Juneau Dance Theatre. The ballet will be performed in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.At.Kalé auditorium Friday through Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Juneau Dance Theatre)
‘Nutcracker’ tradition, with a twirl of new choreography

This year’s performances feature a cast of 93, ages 5 to 78

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Rain at the National Weather Service Juneau station on Nov. 11 doesn’t exist as snow until hits the upper portion of nearby Thunder Mountain. So far this November has been both warmer and wetter than normal. (Photo by National Weather Service Juneau)
El Niño playing outsize role in Juneau’s warmer temperatures, according to National Weather Service

Early peek at numbers shows Juneau is 4.9 degrees warmer than average this November.

An emergency rescue vehicle parks in front of the Riverview Senior Living center at midday Monday after resident Nathan Bishop, 58, was discovered in the attic about 40 hours after he was reported missing. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Nathan Bishop found alive in attic of Riverview Senior Living complex after 40-hour search

Family members say they remain supportive of facility’s locally available assisted living services.

Most Read