Skidegate Town with Totem Poles |
The totem pole is the genealogical
record and memorial of Northwest Coast Indian tribes. Crests carved
on poles were lineage property and reflected
the history of the lineage. Animals represented on the crests included
the beaver, bear, wolf, shark, whale, raven, eagle, frog and mosquito;
they were visual statements about group membership and identity. There
were 6 principal types of poles: memorial or heraldic poles, grave figures,
house posts, house front or portal poles, welcoming poles and mortuary
poles. Poles were skillfully carved of red cedar and were painted black,
red, blue and sometimes white and yellow. They varied in size, but house front
poles could be over 1 m in width at the base, reaching heights of over
15 m and generally facing the shores of rivers or the ocean. |
