Landscape and Grounds crew have installed our seasonal lights displays for the winter season; they include tree lighting in the plaza and at the parking lots, lights at the Back Loop entrance, a school of salmon on the library building, tree and landscape illumination at housing, tree illumination at Bill Ray and two new panels. All the lights are energy conserving LEDs, using less than 2% of the power incandescent lights would draw, and not getting hot so they are safe to have in public spaces.

The Pavilion display is called Whale Song, inspired by the painting of the same name by Ketchikan artist Evon Zerbetz, and is used with her permission. It shows the whales singing as they swim. It is a remake of the first panel ever erected at the campus.

The display on the curved wall of the Egan Building depicts the traditional Tlingit Sea Monster named Gun-a-Kadeit, and is derived from the petroglyph at Wrangell. It is used with the permission of the Aak'w Kwáan through Marie Olsen.

The story of the monster includes all the characters we expect from myth and tradition, A dissatisfied young woman complaining as she walks through the forest is surprised by a handsome young man who courts and marries her. He is actually the Sea Monster in human form, and each night he reassumes his true shape, goes into the ocean and returns with an abundance of fish. He leaves it in front of the house of his wife’s mother, making her into the most powerful person in the village. Over time she becomes unpleasantly proud and dominating and the creature decides to return to his undersea home, His wife decides that she prefers his company to that of her human companions and returns with him to live in abundance and prosperity for the rest of her days.

The theme of the sea monster bringing wealth reflects on the ocean as the source of all food, and that it is only with the assistance of the ocean creatures that we all thrive. Gun-a-Kadeit will also be represented in the raising of the new totem pole next spring.

It also pays tribute to the UAS Environmental Science remote sensing program, SEAMONSTER.

Any students or staff who would like to help with next seasons light display design and construction should contact Landscape Superintendent David Lendrum, 796-6513. We can use lots of hands.