First Breath by Chupak
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Each carving is hand carved and unique. Every art piece will vary slightly from each other. So the items posted here may not be exactly what we currently have in stock. We would gladly show you pictures of what we have and cater to your liking.
Chup experienced a long, dangerous and tragic journey from his childhood homeland of Cambodia to his new home now in Juneau, Alaska. He was seven when the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Pehn, uprooted his family of 9 and forced them to labor in the fields and jungles. Food was severely rationed by the communist regime and there was never enough to go around. At the age of twelve, Chivly was an orphan, his parents and 4 siblings having perished of starvation. His remaining family knew their only hope was a desperate escape to Thailand, on foot, hiding from the communists, who would have killed them instantly if caught.
During this time of ponderous waiting and hoping, he encountered a striking picture from Alaska. He was captured by the beauty of these people and absolutely fascinated that the Eskimos looked very much like his own people. The difference, however, was that these people were bundled in furs for protection from the cold, frozen land. He had never seen snow, and marveled at what it must be like to live in such an alien place. The thought of traveling to Alaska, a place so unlike the life he had to endure, gave Chivly a desire that kept his hope alive. He promised himself that hewould one day see Alaska.
After a time, Chivly took his family to remote Emmonak, Alaska near the Bering Sea where he taught carving and current production techniques to villagers. He smiles and proudly points to the photographs of him bundled up in parkas and furs fishing in the sub zero weather. His dream has come true. Chup, his wife Sorn and little daughter Junie, now prosper in Juneau where Chupak Carving Arts has developed a state of the art studio in which Chivly can work and continue to teach carving, passing on his love for this exacting art form to his extended family.
The word home has special meaning for Chup, as he has come to love his adopted land, Alaska, having endured so much to enjoy the freedom of the Great Land – freedom to create in a supportive, dynamite environment.
Chup experienced a long, dangerous and tragic journey from his childhood homeland of Cambodia to his new home now in Juneau, Alaska. He was seven when the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Pehn, uprooted his family of 9 and forced them to labor in the fields and jungles. Food was severely rationed by the communist regime and there was never enough to go around. At the age of twelve, Chivly was an orphan, his parents and 4 siblings having perished of starvation. His remaining family knew their only hope was a desperate escape to Thailand, on foot, hiding from the communists, who would have killed them instantly if caught.
During this time of ponderous waiting and hoping, he encountered a striking picture from Alaska. He was captured by the beauty of these people and absolutely fascinated that the Eskimos looked very much like his own people. The difference, however, was that these people were bundled in furs for protection from the cold, frozen land. He had never seen snow, and marveled at what it must be like to live in such an alien place. The thought of traveling to Alaska, a place so unlike the life he had to endure, gave Chivly a desire that kept his hope alive. He promised himself that hewould one day see Alaska.
After a time, Chivly took his family to remote Emmonak, Alaska near the Bering Sea where he taught carving and current production techniques to villagers. He smiles and proudly points to the photographs of him bundled up in parkas and furs fishing in the sub zero weather. His dream has come true. Chup, his wife Sorn and little daughter Junie, now prosper in Juneau where Chupak Carving Arts has developed a state of the art studio in which Chivly can work and continue to teach carving, passing on his love for this exacting art form to his extended family.
The word home has special meaning for Chup, as he has come to love his adopted land, Alaska, having endured so much to enjoy the freedom of the Great Land – freedom to create in a supportive, dynamite environment.
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