JUNEAU, AK – The U.S. Postal Service will unveil the Raven Story Forever Stamp at the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, AK on Friday, July 30. In attendance will be Jakki Krage Strako, U.S. Postal Service Chief Commerce and Business Solutions Officer and Executive Vice President, Rosita Worl, President of Sealaska Heritage Institute and Rico Worl, the stamp artist.
Merging traditional artwork with modern design touches, the stamp depicts one of many stories about Raven, a figure of great significance to the Indigenous people of the northern Northwest Coast, part of the area that ranges from Southeast Alaska through coastal British Columbia and south into Washington State.
The stamp was created by Tlingit/Athabascan artist Rico Worl. The stamp design depicts a raven just as he escapes from his human family and begins to transform back into his bird form. To create the stamp art, Worl used formline, the traditional design style of the Indigenous people of the northern Northwest Coast. The art director is Antonio Alcalá.
Among the cultures of the region, the raven plays an essential role in many traditional tales, including stories about the creation of the world. The stamp is inspired by the traditional story of the raven setting the sun, moon and stars free.
The Raven Story stamps are being issued as a Forever stamp in panes of 20. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1‑ounce price.