Ellen Savage was a beloved Deg Xit’an Athabaskan artist and culture bearer. Born and raised in Shageluk, Alaska, Savage was raised speaking her Deg Xinag Dene language, which she later helped document through the University of Alaska. [1] Known for her ornate birch baskets and highly detailed dolls, Savage’s work can be found in the collections of the Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. A cartoon representation of a doll by Savage was even featured on an episode of the PBS program Molly of Denali. Savage made both “summer” and “winter” style dolls – the former often featuring moose hide, beads, and tassels (as in this example), while the latter featured fur parkas and mukluks, closely resembling a Yup’ik style parka (which they were often mistaken for).

This doll depicts a woman in moosehide summer clothing. She is holding a miniature willow root basket and is wearing an ornate moosehide jacket, head covering, and boots. Savage’s distinctive beading style is present in the form of circle-and-dot patterns on the doll’s jacket, mittens, boots, and headdress. The doll is also wearing traditional Deg Xit’an long beaded earrings. The doll’s face is stitched with a pleasant expression and framed by a head of black hair.