Image depicts a totem pole located in a valley with mountains in the distance. The pole is probably from the Kitwanga or Kispiox villages in the Skeena Valley. This pole features a fish on top and a series of ravens interspersed with human-like characters below that. One section of the pole is not carved.
Image depicts three totem poles, standing in an open area. Read's note under this photo indicates that the pole on the left may by a Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar pole from the House of Chief Skogum Laxhe. The pole on the right may be Chief Laxhe`s Hat-of-Tsagyem-hanak Pole. See also item a034837 for a closeup of the Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar pole.
Fonds consists of scans of two albums of photographs and one enlarged photograph captured by Stanley Read during two separate vacations through interior British Columbia with his wife, Ruth. Also included in the fonds is a scan of a journal which Stanley Read used to document the daily events of one of these trips, during which Stanley and Ruth travelled through Gitksan territory/Skeena Country. The photographs capture Gitksan totem poles, people, and wilderness encountered on their travels.
Image depicts three young boys posed together with water and boats in the background. Notes indicate that this photograph may have been entered in a UBC staff photography competition in the early 1950s.
Image depicts a totem pole from Gitsegyukla (Skeena Crossing). Read`s notes call this the Pole of Mawlarhen. Depictions of frogs and an owl are visible. See also item a03426 for another view of this pole.
Image depicts several totem poles erected in an open field in front of several wooden structures, possibly houses. Read's notes indicate that these poles are the Wawsemlarhae poles at Kispiox Village in the Skeena Valley.
Image depicts a large expanse of open land with snow covered mountains in the distance. The foreground includes several tree stumps and possibly a fence..
Image depicts a river, perhaps the Skeena River, with rapidly flowing water. Evergreen trees are visible along the river banks. An individual, possibly Ruth Read, can be seen standing at the river's edge.
Image depicts a man standing on a river bank holding a long pole over the river. He appears to have caught a fish and to be bringing it in. A pile of fish sit on the riverbank.
Read's note cards detail information about three groups of totem poles and contain text and page references to Marius Barbeau's book, Totem Poles of the Gitksan, Upper Skeena River, British Columbia (published by the Canada Department of Mines and the National Museum of Canada, 1929).
Read's handwritten journal (July 8 - August 5, 1948) of his trip from Vancouver to the Skeena River Valley and back, details the weather, road conditions, people he met, and fish caught along the way.
Image depicts an elderly man standing in front a wooden structure. He wears ceremonial dress, including head gear. See also image a034813 for a front view of this man. Read's note suggests this photo may have been taken at Topley Landing on Babine Lake.
Image depicts a man wearing ceremonial dress, including head gear. He is posed outside, near a body of water. Read's note suggests this photo may have been taken at Topley Landing on Babine Lake.
Image depicts two elderly men standing in front a wooden structure. Both wear ceremonial dress, including head gear. A young child stands behind the men, at the door of the structure. Read's note suggests this photo may have been taken at Topley Landing on Babine Lake.
Image depicts a young woman wearing a white, V-neck sweater. Trees and mountains are visible in the distance. This woman is also depicted in images a034801 and a034802.