View of the Kwakiutl totem poles standing in a cemetery. The two poles stand adjacent to graves marked with crosses, which are identified Chief J .Aul Sewid and Mrs. Lucy Sewid. The presence of flowers at this gravesite suggest that this photo may have been taken in 1988 when Chief Sewid died. Photo is attributed to Eric J. Cooke, Photo Productions, Sidney, B. C.
View of a Kwakiutl totem pole on Alert Bay, Cormorant Island, British Columbia. Pole appears to be standing in a cemetery. A cross marked Charles Smith is visible. This pole features a bird (possibly a raven) atop several other animals.
View of two Memorial poles. The taller pole depicts an eagle and a grizzly bear; the shorter pole depicts a human form holding copper. Photo is attributed to Eric J. Cooke Photo Productions, Sidney, B. C.
Image of two totem poles at Alert Bay. In the foreground is a memorial pole for Chief Wakas. It was raised in 1924 and carved by Arthur Shaughnessy. In the background is a memorial pole for Amos Dawson's uncle. Carved by Charlie James.
Image of a memorial pole at Alert Bay. Inscription at the bottom held by the figure reads "In loving memory of Tlaowa Latle of the Qiowasudinuk (Kwakwaka'wakw: Kwikwasut'inuxw) Tribe. Died Nov. 9 [rest of inscription illegible].
Image of two totem poles at Alert Bay. In the foreground is a memorial pole for Chief Wakas. It was raised in 1924 and carved by Arthur Shaughnessy. In the background is a memorial pole for Amos Dawson's uncle. Carved by Charlie James.
Item is a hand-tinted glass lantern slide of a totem with a building in the background and a boat in the foreground with low tide. Based on the original order of the collection, photograph might have been taken in Alert Bay.
This pole was on display at UBC in Totem Park in the 1960’s and 1970’s and moved to the Museum in the late 1970’s. It was carved in 1914 in Tsaxis (Fort Rupert) by George Hunt Sr. for the Edward S. Curtis film "In the Land of the War Canoes" which was originally titled "In the Land of the Head Hunters". The pole was collected by Marius Barbeau and Arthur Price in 1947. The pole was repaired and re-painted by carvers Ellen Neel in 1949 and Mungo Martin in 1950-51. It stood at Totem Park, UBC Campus until it was re-located to the Museum's Great Hall in 1976.
Iconography: Kolus is a young thunderbird. Thunderbird is a supernatural bird identifiable by the presence of ear-like projections or horns on the head, and a re-curved beak. The pole alludes to the story of Tongas people in south Alaska, who migrated south.