Jessie Oonark’s conversion to Christianity in 1927 did little to stop her depictions of shamanism and the spirit world in her art. In fact, Flight of the Shaman, one of Oonark’s earliest prints, is one of the artist’s most overtly supernatural images. Here a shaman soars through the sky, accompanied by various animal helping spirits. These are arranged in interesting ways, most as if sewn like badges onto his parka while others are seemingly along for a ride. All illustrate the intimate relationship between the host and his helpers: birds line up along one arm and, significantly, one is perched on the shaman’s head (literally guiding him on his heavenly voyage), while wolves and caribou perhaps provide him with extra strength and courage. Subtle punches of red add pops of colour to a print that delivers a powerful graphic punch. For a different take on a shaman’s spirit flight by Oonark’s colleague the sculptor Luke Iksiktaaryuk, see Lot 17.