Antique Lilac
  • Home
  • for Sale
  • Galleries
  • Favourite Photos
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Books

Thunderbird Park

11/9/2015

1 Comment

 
In downtown Victoria right next to the Royal British Columbia Museum, is Thunderbird Park with it's two longhouses and impressive collection of totem poles. Each cultural group of native people had their own style of carving poles, and many are represented in the Park. The original poles deteriorated over the years, and renowned native carvers were commissioned to replace them. Some of the originals are housed inside the Museum.

Mungo Martin built the traditional Kwakiutl house complete with carved house posts inside. In front of it stands a Kwakiutl-style pole also carved by Mungo Martin.
Picture
The bottom figure on the pole depicts Dzunukwa holding her son, half human and half Dzunukwa, who grows up to become founder of the Nimpkish people. Coco isn't too sure he wants to get any closer to Dzunukwa, the Wild Woman of the Woods, that mythical figure native parents would scare their children with to prevent them from going into the forest on their own.
Picture
Picture
Picture
The Haida poles are huge, with many figures, rising high into the sky....
Picture
Holly finds them rather hard to photograph. Mostly we just get photos of the bottom figures...
Picture
At the base of this Gitksan-style pole carved by Mungo Martin, Henry and Tony Hunt,
​is the ancestress Will-a-daugh holding her child who sucks its fingers.
Picture
"Let's pretend to be a totem pole"
Picture
Another pole in front of the Museum
Picture
*Note - Totem poles are exclusive to native groups along the Pacific Northwest, and came into prominence after contact with Europeans, who brought metal carving tools in trade for the much prized otter skins.  To raise a totem pole require a Potlach - a huge feast where each individual who attended was required to receive a gift, in exchange for being a witness to all the ceremonies that would take place during the event. It could takes years to prepare.

​Each cultural group had their own style, while some didn't carve poles at all. Many poles tell stories, or depict creatures representative of the person they were intended to honour. Some are memorial poles, and the Haida even carved funerary poles that held the remains of the person they were created to honour. Early missionaries mistakenly thought they were idols of worship, and had many taken down and destroyed. Even with government attempts to suppress native expression by banning the traditional Potlach for many years, the totem pole has survived, and Native art has found a resurgence.
1 Comment
Jane
11/9/2015 02:29:51 pm

That was so interesting to read......I learned so much again.

And I loved the photo of them all pretending to be a totem pole! LOL!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
    Read More... 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.