The Wasgo is a monster of Haida legend that had the ability to transform between wolf and sea creature. Carved and painted by Bill Reid and Doug Cranmer in 1962.
MOA Object ID numbers correspond to poles in the image from left to right.
A50030 carved by Bill Reid and Doug Cranmer (1961-62) as the frontal pole for the front of the Haida house, at the University of British Columbia, for display in Totem Park. Moved to the new Museum of Anthropology grounds in 1978. Pole was removed from the Haida House in 2000-09 and placed in a greenhouse tent for conservation treatment and drying. Pole was then re-raised in the Great Hall of the Museum on Oct. 31, 2002.
Item is a photograph of four men dancing in ceremonial dress (button blankets, carved [eagle?] mask with cedar strips) performing a ceremonial dance in front of a crowd of on-lookers. The man second from the left is Willie Sewid [Seaweed; Seewid?].
Item is a photograph of a crowd of people in ceremonial dress and regular clothes watching two people performing a mask dance. One person wears a crooked beak [four-faced?] mask while the other is wearing a button blanket and headdress. Willie Seewid [Seaweed; Sewid?] is the man on the left looking at the dancer - noted by William Wasden Jr., 2005/02/22.
Item is a photograph of two men performing a dance while a crowd watches. The man on the right in ceremonial dress (button blanket, cedar bark headdress) is Willie Seewid [Seaweed; Sewid?], who carved the crooked beak mask with cedar strips that is worn by the other dancer on the left.
Image of interior house posts in an abandoned settlement. These appear to be the house posts that were transported from Hope Island to the Museum of Anthropology in 1956.
Image of a bear shaped interior house post. This appears to be a house post that was transferred from Hope Island to the Museum of Anthropology in 1956.
Image of interior house posts in an abandoned settlement. These appear to be the house posts that were transported from Hope Island to the Museum of Anthropology in 1956.
Image of a section of a totem pole, featuring a beaver, on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to be a pole now housed at the Museum of Anthropology (museum item #A50013). This museum item has the following description: "Base section of a wooden totem pole, crescent shaped in cross section and carved in shallow and deep relief. Depicted is a seated beaver with one potlatch ring between erect ears; protruding upper incisors; raised forepaws and hind paws grasping chewing sticks. Below its rectangular shaped crosshatched tail is a human face with large circular eyes. Traces of blue in eye sockets and around nostrils... Beaver was one of crests owned by the lineage of Chief Ninstints (Tom Price), 'Those Born Up the Inlet', of the Eagle moiety... Remainder of pole, except top figure, burned when the village was burned in 1892 by the Koskimo and the crew of a sealing schooner. ."