This unusual sculpture was carved from two pieces of driftwood which Barela found in an arroyo. It is one of his most mysterious works. The human figure, with a hand raised to the heavens and head bowed, appears to be at one with the strange animal at his feet. This snake like figure with ears, paws and a snout may represent the underworld.
The work as a whole may symbolize the uniting of mankind, heaven and earth, a Mezo-American concept of origins which Barela intuitively understood. The comparison is the Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, a revered god of ancient Mexico. The serpent arises from its home underground to the earth's surface bearing sacred feathers symbolizing the unity of the underground, earth and sky. This sculpture is in the book “Spirit Ascendant.”