David Neel
David Neel is a distinguished Kwakiutl artist and author whose career spans four decades. His work combines traditional values with contemporary techniques. This is his fourth book about First Nations culture. His previous book, The Way Home, was a finalist for the Writer's Trust Hilary Weston Award.
Born in 1960 in Vancouver, British Columbia, he descends from a renowned lineage of artists, including his grandmother Ellen Neel, Mungo Martin, Charlie James, and David Neel Senior.
A multi-media artist, Neel is a carver, jeweler, photographer, and writer. His writing and art explore themes of First Nations cultural continuity, identity, and resilience. His art has been exhibited internationally and is included in numerous public collections.
Neel's writing bridges the gap between the First Nations traditional world and the modern era. He has spent a lifetime learning the traditional culture of his people, so he is able to bring ancient narratives to life with a modern voice.
His New Book - Down From the Sky World
The ancient stories tell of supernatural beings from the Sky World who came to live among the first ancestors. They took human form and married among the early humans—their descendants became the Kwakiutl people. That ancient history was preserved in myths for millennia, until, in the modern age, they faded from memory—until now.
In Down From the Sky World, the ancient stories come to life through an insightful exploration of their hidden meanings. Written by a Kwakiutl artist and author, the book will appeal to readers interested in mythology, anthropology, Indigenous studies, mysticism, religion, and history. His previous book, The Way Home, was a finalist for the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.
Neel reveals the esoteric dimensions of Kwakiutl mythology—including transformation, cosmology, and the supernatural. Rich in symbolism and metaphor, these timeless myths illuminate the common human experience across cultures and throughout history. This book offers readers a fresh perspective one of North America's most enduring Indigenous mythological traditions.
