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British Columbia Gitxsan English
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Wilson Duff interview with Jonathan Johnson at Kispiox

Item is an audio recording of an interview by Wilson Duff with Jonathan Johnson about the geography of the Gitxsan village of Kispiox and surrounding region. According to Tribal Boundaries in the Nass Watershed by Neil J. Stewart (MOA Reading Room, call number 12.7c GIT STE), Jonathan Johnson (1902-1968) of Kispiox was from the House of Xhliimlaxha and had knowledge of territories in the Nass watershed, including his father’s territory at Gwinhagiistxw. In interviews that took place on July 6 and 7, 1965, Duff gathered information about house territories in the Nass and Skeena watersheds to produce a map showing territories and numbered sites at Kispiox, see the Wilson Duff fonds at MOA, Box/File# Mc15, File# 10-B-21.

Vickie Jensen and Jay Powell fonds

  • 3
  • Fonds
  • 1969-2008

Fonds consists of records relating to the numerous culture and language projects that Powell and Jensen worked on since 1976. The communities with which they worked include:
• The Quileute of La Push
• The Kwakwaka’wakw of Alert Bay
• The Gitxsan of Kispiox, Gitanyow, and surrounding villages
• The Nuu-chah-nulth of Vancouver Island
• The Musqueam of Vancouver
• The Seton Lake St'at'imc (Lillooet) of Shalalth
• The Shuswap of Alkali Lake, Soda Creek, Dog Creek, Canim Lake, and Sugar Cane
• The Haisla of Kitamaat
• The Nisga’a of Gingolx (Kincolith) and New Aiyansh

Most of the projects had an end goal to produce a book, language education materials, or teacher training materials. Often the education materials incorporated cultural lessons throughout. The records created in the production of the books are varied and reflect the intrinsic connection between language, culture, and daily activities in the communities. Powell and Jensen were co-editors for nearly all of the language books and materials produced. Although some of the projects reflected in the records were done primarily by Powell or primarily by Jensen, the vast majority of the work involves collaboration between the two in some aspect. As Jensen and Powell immersed themselves in the communities they worked for, often their personal photographs and records are interspersed with those relating to their work. This community involvement enhanced their relationships with the people with whom they were working and allowed them to experience and participate in cultural activities as part of those communities. This close relationship is reflected in and is integral to their work. Jensen and Powell have two sons: Nels, born in 1978, and Luke, born in 1981. Their sons travelled with them to the communities in which they worked and lived, and on their work trips and sabbaticals. Nels and Luke are also present in many of the photographic records.

The records contain a mixture of research, field notes, administrative records, and publications at various stages, in addition to audio and visual records. Field notes, for the most part handwritten, and archival research into language and culture groups was undertaken by Powell, whilst the majority of the photography, found in a variety of formats, was done by Jensen. Manuscripts and final publications were a combined effort and are included at various stages. Administrative records, including grant proposals, are found throughout.

Fonds consists of 13 series of records. Series are arranged according to community and/or project, and include:

  1. Quileute
  2. Chinook Jargon
  3. Kwak’wala (U’Mista)
  4. Gitxsan
  5. Nuu-chah-nulth
  6. Salishan
  7. Shuswap
  8. Haisla
  9. Tait
  10. Northwest Coast artists
  11. Northwest Coast groups
  12. UBC totems/events
  13. Publications

Vickie Jensen and Jay Powell

Two totem poles

Image depicts two poles standing in an open area. The front pole features a human-like creature on visible portion. The back pole also includes a human figure at the bottom with an owl on top. The figures on the bottom may be crest figures (Leading In or Halfway Out) or a Man of the Wild. Read's note suggests that one of these may be a Pole of Hrkyadet at Kispiox.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 behind a fence

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.

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.

The Pacific Passage

Image depicts the exhibition The Pacific Passage installed at the Vancouver International Airport. The focal point of the photograph is Hetux, a large Thunderbird sculpture created by artist Connie Watts (Nuu-chah-nulth, Gitxsan and Kwakwaka'wakw).

Stanley E. Read fonds

  • 94
  • Fonds
  • [1946?] - 1948

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.

Stanley E. Read

Skeena Crossing totem pole

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.

Series of totem poles

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.

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).

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.

Poles of Ksrarom-Larhae

Image depicts two totem poles erected very close together. Read's notes indicate that these are the Poles of Ksrarom-Larhae, located in Gitsegyukl. "Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar pole. At the bottom the monster Hagwelaworh (?), a whale-like sea monster. "

Pole of Mawlarhen, close up

Image depicts a close up of a totem pole, depicting the face of a human-like figure at its base. Read's note indicates this is the Pole of Mawlarhen at Gitsegyukla. "Raven at top; half pole uncarved; then large eagle, with folded wings; sitting frog; frog hanging with head down; bottom, the Man of the Comb whose hands, raised with palms forward are like native combs. Pole c1925, was about 40 years old. Erected to commemorate Mawlarhen and his sister Poking Bullhead. Carver local artist, Jimmy Good of the Fireweed phratry." See also item a034838 for another view of this pole.

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