Showing 47 results

Image of a totem pole on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to be a pole now housed at the Museum of Anthropology (museum item #A50018). This museum item is described as follows: "Base section of a wooden pole, crescent-shaped in cross section and carved in shallow and deep relief. From the top down: a large seated bear with a small wolf between and in its ears and a downward facing frog emerging from the bear’s mouth. In between its arms and legs is a downward facing wolf... Stood outside at the center of the Mountain House, which belonged to the lineage of 'Those Born in the Southern Part of the Islands' of the Eagle Moiety of the Kunghit Haida. Stood near the centre of the village facing the beach along a small bay on the east side of Anthony Island. Island and village also called Skunggwai, or Red Cod Island."

Image of an old house post on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to the same as a post now housed at the Museum of Anthropology. This museum item is decribed as follows: "The lower section of a totem, crescent shaped in cross section, carved in shallow and deep relief. From top to bottom: bear with protruding tongue and raven on body, kneeling on head of unknown creature... Figures probably from historical narratives owned by lineages of house owner and wife. Grizzly bear was a crest of the lineages of the 'Striped Town People' and 'Sand Town People' of the Raven Moiety, to one of which the husband may have belonged. The supernatural Snag was also a crest of the 'Striped Town People'. Human arms of the raven or cormorant may indicate ability to transform from animal to human."

Image of a house post on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to be a post now housed at the Museum of Anthropology (museum item #A50016). This museum item is described as follows: "Totem, crescent shaped in cross section, carved in shallow and deep relief. From top to bottom: human with hands at right angles and fingertips touching. The arms are folded with the elbows resting on squared ears of figure below. Enclosed within this frame is a small human/hawk face with beak, surmounting the head, shoulders, and forepaws of an emerging bear cub. At the base is a bear from whose ears frogs look downward. The bear has curled nostrils; upturned mouth, raised forearms with five fingers folded over each palm, small human face between forearms... Stood at centre of back wall inside house called 'Raven House', belonging to the lineage of the'Sand Town People' of Raven moiety of Kunghit Haida. MacDonald lists it as house number 17... Pole standing when collected...Figures are crests belonging to the lineage of the owners of the house, the 'Sand Town People' of the Raven moiety. They may also refer to the Bear Mother myth."

Image of a house post on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to be a post now housed at the Museum of Anthropology (museum item #A50016). This museum item is described as follows: "Totem, crescent shaped in cross section, carved in shallow and deep relief. From top to bottom: human with hands at right angles and fingertips touching. The arms are folded with the elbows resting on squared ears of figure below. Enclosed within this frame is a small human/hawk face with beak, surmounting the head, shoulders, and forepaws of an emerging bear cub. At the base is a bear from whose ears frogs look downward. The bear has curled nostrils; upturned mouth, raised forearms with five fingers folded over each palm, small human face between forearms... Stood at centre of back wall inside house called 'Raven House', belonging to the lineage of the'Sand Town People' of Raven moiety of Kunghit Haida. MacDonald lists it as house number 17... Pole standing when collected...Figures are crests belonging to the lineage of the owners of the house, the 'Sand Town People' of the Raven moiety. They may also refer to the Bear Mother myth."

Image of a totem pole on Anthony Island, Haida Gwaii. This appears to be a pole now housed at the Museum of Anthropology (museum item #A50018). This museum item is described as follows: "Base section of a wooden pole, crescent-shaped in cross section and carved in shallow and deep relief. From the top down: a large seated bear with a small wolf between and in its ears and a downward facing frog emerging from the bear’s mouth. In between its arms and legs is a downward facing wolf... Stood outside at the center of the Mountain House, which belonged to the lineage of 'Those Born in the Southern Part of the Islands' of the Eagle Moiety of the Kunghit Haida. Stood near the centre of the village facing the beach along a small bay on the east side of Anthony Island. Island and village also called Skunggwai, or Red Cod Island."

Image of artist Bill Reid standing in the remains of a house on Anthony Island. Reid is at a slight distance from the camera, seen in silhouette standing at either the front or rear of the structure. A note, possibly written by Audrey Hawthorn, accompanies this slide. See item a039485 in this file for this note.

Image of a totem pole in Massett, Haida Gwaii. The pole was carved by Robert Davidson, and is seen just after it was raised. A crowd is still gathered for the pole raising ceremony.

Image of the original Skedans Mortuary Pole in Stanley Park. Pole carved in Skidegate in Haida Gwaii in the 1870's.

Haida chief wearing button blanket

Image depicts exterior view of small house built within the frame of the House Chiefs Peep at from a Distance with two Watchmen figures with potlatch hats sitting atop the corner posts of the original house and frontal pole. On the left is a mortuary pole raised for Skedans, head chief of Skedans village with Skedan's crests: a moon with a Thunderbird face at top, mountain goat, and grizzly bear at the base. House is located in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, B. C. Image appears to be reproduction of a039355.

Image depicts canoes, house, house posts, and totem poles on a shoreline in Masset, Haida Gwaii, B. C. Handwritten inscription on the verso reads "This is a Indian Village in Masset B. C. at the turn of the century. As you can see there are a lot of wooden shacks, totem poles and canoes. it is a very wild and remote area [redacted]. grandfather Crosby used to travel to these remoat [sic] villages by canoe." Image appears to be reproduction of a039351.