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Archival description
Kitwanga First Nations With digital objects
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Broken totem pole

Image depicts a part of a fallen totem pole, surrounded by foliage. The animal may be a wolf; it depicts teeth in an open mouth.

Three totem poles

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.

Kitwanga totem close up

Image depicts a a close up of a totem pole with a human figure holding a bear. This appears to be a pole from Kitwanga, also depicted in item a034845.

Read Journal

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.

Read Notes

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).

Memorial carving for a chief

Image depicts a carving (possibly concrete) of a fish-like creature with a dorsal fin, mounted on stone. The inscription reads CHIEF WIEAHAKYSOU (?) Died Mar 1912 Aged 70 years.

Totem with bear

Image depicts a short totem with a bear at the base, an uncarved portion, and a smaller animal at the top. The bear is noteworthy because of its realistic style.

Carving of Hawaao

Image depicts a carving of an animal that resembles a mountain lion. This carving is a part of the Poles of Arhteeh in Kitwanga.

Kitwanga totem poles

Image depicts several totem poles standing in a row. Read's pencil notes suggest that these are the Poles of Arteeh at Kitwanga .The pole second to the right is called the Pole of the Mountain Lion. See also items a034845 and a034846.

Totem poles along a road

Image depicts a dirt road with several totem poles situated along the roadside. The poles are viewed from a distance, making it hard to identify any crests on the poles. Several wooden structures can be seen near the poles and mountains are visible in the distance.

Carving of Grizzly Bear of the Water

Image depicts a carving of a creature that resembles a bear--with fins. The carving sits on a wooden structure, possibly a carver's bench. Several buildings can be seen behind the carving platform.

Memorial pole

Image depicts a totem pole with an inscription indicating that it is in memorial to a Chief who died. The pole depicts two similarly carved creatures that may be owls. Several buildings are visible behind the pole and mountains can be seen in the distance.

Totem pole close up

Image depicts a totem pole that features a human figure at the base and three other human figures, aligned horizontally across the pole. Other wooden structures can be seen in the background. Read's note indicates that a possible explanation for this pole can be found in Barbeau, p. 149, which suggests that the three humans carved in this pole may be Hrpugweelan, a crest of Ksemgitgeegyaenih, a Larhsail chief.

Totem pole detail

Image depicts a close up showing the details of the lower figures on a totem pole, probably the Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar pole from the House of Chief Skogum Laxhe. The bottom figure is is the monster Hagwelawrh, who lives under the water and causes the Sand-Bar to raise with his back. See also image a034836 for another view of this pole.

Totem poles along a road

Image depicts a row of totem poles standing along the side of a dirt road. Based on Read`s diary and the figures on these poles, this photo may have been taken in Kitwanga, and the pole on the far left may be the Dog Salmon Pole.

Fallen totem pole

Image depicts a totem pole lying on the ground. Figures are difficult to identify, but the most prominent one is probably human. Read`s diary indicates that this photo was probably taken at either the Kitwanga or Kispiox village site in Gitxsan territory of the Skeena Valley..

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