Northwest Coast Native Art

$37.50

Item 90102

2 3/4 x 1 x 4 3/4

0 lbs. 2 oz.

Extra packaging required. A surcharge of 5.00 will be added to order.

Sea Wolf

Licensed Canadian Museum of Civilization Reproduction Totem
Sea Wolf is a prominent Northwest Coast being of the undersea world. Called Wasco by the Haida, this giant sea monster has the head and tail of Wolf, with Killer Whale elements such as fins and a blowhole. Sea Wolf is an alternate form of the undersea world beings Sea Bear and Snag, and as such is one of those who literally carry the world on their backs in Haida mythology and cosmology. Understanding Northwest Coast Art - Cheryl Shearar

The elite material of choice for small totems would be argillite. Argillite is a slate that is only found on a remote mountainside in the Slatechuck Valley of Graham Island on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). At the end of the 18th century Haida carvers began to elaborately carve exclusively in argillite to satisfy the demands of Victorian collectors who understood the rarity of the dense material. In this century argillite use has become cost prohibitive. This Totem was made from a composite material that simulates the look and feel of argillite; this composite is a faithful reproduction of the material used in the original carving.

BOMA

This is a licensed reproduction of an original Haida argillite carving. Reproductions are produced by BOMA Manufacturing and distributed by Panabo Sales Limited of Vancouver, British Columbia. Portions of the proceeds from the sale of this collection are given to the original artist or the Haida community.

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Totem

Totem Poles The totem pole, which is unique to the Northwest Coast, might be considered a sort of coat-of-arms. Totems inspired considerable awe because of the tribal traditions represented by the symbolic figures carved on them. Tradition dictated the symbolic form each carving should take, so it is relatively simple to recognize which crests occur on a particular pole. It is not always possible, though, to "read" a totem pole's story easily. Knowledge of Native mythology helps one to understand the significance of some combinations of crests, but some totem tales are lost in the past.

The function of totem poles varied somewhat among the different peoples, but overall they were historic monuments, or documents of great meaning and value to the cultures that carved them. Welcome Poles were used to greet visitors arriving for a feast or potlatch. House Frontal or Portal poles added splendor and prestige to the integral construction of housing. Special achievements, crests and figures appeared on Memorial or Mortuary poles. Shame poles were carved to ridicule or shame a rival, when restitution was made the pole came down. More recently, a new category of pole exists, commercial poles. The art and carving of commercial poles usually follows tradition and they are raised with great ceremony. The significance of these newer poles is their strong reminder of the First Nations people and their long-standing presence on the land. Overall, totem poles display images that represent people's origins and lineages, their rights and privileges, their supernatural experiences, their achievements, their territories, marriages, and memorials. These recorded histories gave the people cultural identity. Totem poles are a marvelous legacy to be protected and valued.