Kallohonka

Acrylics, black fineliner,
white pencil, gel pens. 2009

The bear was considered sacred; A celebration known as Karhunpeijaiset
(literally "celebration of the bear") was practised whenever a bear was killed.
After the flesh was eaten, the bones were buried, and the skull placed on a
venerated pine tree known as kallohonka. Kallohonka has probably been a symbol of
the world tree, so when the skull was lifted to the tree the bear could return to
the sky where it was born.