Field Museum: Northwest Coast Peoples
House Post
Represents a man with four minks on his body. Relates to a spirit seen by the owner while in the woods preparing for a secret sociely.
Coast Salish (Songish).
House Post
Represents two human figures.
Coast Salish (Cowichan).
House Post
Represents a man holding a mink.
Coast Salish (Songish).
House Post
Represents a Skhwalkhwey dancer with mask and shell rattle.
Coast Salish (Nanaimo).
House Post
Represents a man holding a swan.
Swan feathers were important in the Skhwalkhwey dance. Coast Sallsh
(Nanaimo).
TOTEM POLES
Carved totem poles of cedar are perhaps the best known works of art on the Northwest Coast. Existing in pre-contact times, they later flourished with the spread of metal blades and the new-found wealth brought about through trading.
By the 1860s, a veritable forest of carved poles characterized many northern villages. Three types of poles marked the clan history and lineage of wealthy persons or families.
The house pole stood in front of, or attached to, the plank house, sometimes with an entryway through its base. Crests of the extended family within were displayed with pride.
The mortuary pole held the remains of the deceased in a cavity at the top, covered with a carved board that was often symbolic of the mortuary box. The carved figures on the supporting pole related to the deceased's life and background.
The memorial pole, raised in memory of a great chief or other high-ranking person, depicted his crests, a major event in his life or some other narrative associated with his life. The meaning for many of the poles still in existence has been recorded, providing explanations of the sequence of carved figures.
Raising a pole demanded a potlatch with guests, feasting, dancing, lengthy speeches, a display of wealth, gift-giving and other events.
The forerunner of the totem pole was probably the carved house post which supported the roof beams inside the plank house.
TOTEM POLES: REGIONAL STYLES
Not being a crest-oriented society, the Salish people did not have totem poles. Nevertheless, their dance houses frequently had posts carved with land otters and other beings of supernatural significance. Oval faces with small eyes, thin mouths and crescent-shaped brows that met with the nose to form a "T" were common.
Poles of the Nootkan maintained and emphasized the roundness of the log; faces resembled dance masks and bore the characteristic curved eye on the same plane as the cheek.
Kwakiutl poles were dramatic and colorful. Often the pole had many figures decorated with painted designs in several colors, including white and green. Thunderbirds and eagles had outstretched wings and other appendages for added effect. Eye sockets were more squared than rounded.
The organization of Bella Coola poles was similar to that of Kwakiutl poles. Faces on the carved figures had characteristic hemispherical-shaped faces with deep eye sockets, truncated conical eyes and large thick lips.
Tsimshian poles often had independent figures, one above the other, separated by a frieze of three or four small human figures. Faces occupied one-third the height of the figure and were square-jawed with a short chin. Frogs were frequently represented.
Monumental poles of wide diameter-were made by the Haida. Carving was deep, but the cylindrical form of the log was maintained; beaks were often added. Figures were massive, the head occupied half of the total height and eye sockets were rounded. One figure often overlapped another, or small creatures intertwined with large. Red and black paint was used sparingly.
Tlingit poles consisted of figures placed one above the other with little overlapping. Birds had beaks attached and wings generally placed vertically rather than outstretched, as on Kwakiutl poles. Painting was decorative and liberal.
Field Museum: Northwest Coast Peoples
House Post
Represents a man with four minks on his body. Relates to a spirit seen by the owner while in the woods preparing for a secret sociely.
Coast Salish (Songish).
House Post
Represents two human figures.
Coast Salish (Cowichan).
House Post
Represents a man holding a mink.
Coast Salish (Songish).
House Post
Represents a Skhwalkhwey dancer with mask and shell rattle.
Coast Salish (Nanaimo).
House Post
Represents a man holding a swan.
Swan feathers were important in the Skhwalkhwey dance. Coast Sallsh
(Nanaimo).
TOTEM POLES
Carved totem poles of cedar are perhaps the best known works of art on the Northwest Coast. Existing in pre-contact times, they later flourished with the spread of metal blades and the new-found wealth brought about through trading.
By the 1860s, a veritable forest of carved poles characterized many northern villages. Three types of poles marked the clan history and lineage of wealthy persons or families.
The house pole stood in front of, or attached to, the plank house, sometimes with an entryway through its base. Crests of the extended family within were displayed with pride.
The mortuary pole held the remains of the deceased in a cavity at the top, covered with a carved board that was often symbolic of the mortuary box. The carved figures on the supporting pole related to the deceased's life and background.
The memorial pole, raised in memory of a great chief or other high-ranking person, depicted his crests, a major event in his life or some other narrative associated with his life. The meaning for many of the poles still in existence has been recorded, providing explanations of the sequence of carved figures.
Raising a pole demanded a potlatch with guests, feasting, dancing, lengthy speeches, a display of wealth, gift-giving and other events.
The forerunner of the totem pole was probably the carved house post which supported the roof beams inside the plank house.
TOTEM POLES: REGIONAL STYLES
Not being a crest-oriented society, the Salish people did not have totem poles. Nevertheless, their dance houses frequently had posts carved with land otters and other beings of supernatural significance. Oval faces with small eyes, thin mouths and crescent-shaped brows that met with the nose to form a "T" were common.
Poles of the Nootkan maintained and emphasized the roundness of the log; faces resembled dance masks and bore the characteristic curved eye on the same plane as the cheek.
Kwakiutl poles were dramatic and colorful. Often the pole had many figures decorated with painted designs in several colors, including white and green. Thunderbirds and eagles had outstretched wings and other appendages for added effect. Eye sockets were more squared than rounded.
The organization of Bella Coola poles was similar to that of Kwakiutl poles. Faces on the carved figures had characteristic hemispherical-shaped faces with deep eye sockets, truncated conical eyes and large thick lips.
Tsimshian poles often had independent figures, one above the other, separated by a frieze of three or four small human figures. Faces occupied one-third the height of the figure and were square-jawed with a short chin. Frogs were frequently represented.
Monumental poles of wide diameter-were made by the Haida. Carving was deep, but the cylindrical form of the log was maintained; beaks were often added. Figures were massive, the head occupied half of the total height and eye sockets were rounded. One figure often overlapped another, or small creatures intertwined with large. Red and black paint was used sparingly.
Tlingit poles consisted of figures placed one above the other with little overlapping. Birds had beaks attached and wings generally placed vertically rather than outstretched, as on Kwakiutl poles. Painting was decorative and liberal.