• Age: 14
• Grade: 9

Magnificent and haunting, the tall cedar sculptures called totem poles have become a distinctive symbol of the native people of the Northwest Coast. The powerful carvings of the vital and extraordinary beings such as Sea Bear, Thunderbird and Cedar Man are impressive and intriguing.

 

In clear and lively prose, Hilary Stewart describes the various types of poles, their purpose, and how they were carved and raised. She also identifies and explains frequently depicted figures and objects. Each pole, shown in a beautifully detailed drawing, is accompanied by a text that points out the crests, figures and objects carved on it. Historical and cultural background are given, legends are recounted and often the carver's comments or anecdotes enrich the pole's story. Photographs put some of the poles into context or show their carving and raising.

Hilary Stewart is an award-winning author best known for her books on Northwest Coast First Nations cultures. She has also been involved in teaching outdoor education and wilderness survival courses for many years, as well as studying the ethnobotany of the coast First Nations, and has an extensive practical experience in the use of plants. She lives on Quadra Island in British Columbia.

Hilary Stewart's profile page

Looking at Totem Poles

This is a thorough and informative study of all the major totem poles on the northwest coast. Stewart gives the location of each pole, the history of the pole, the carver(s), descriptions of carving styles and cultural differences, the types of poles (welcoming, memorial or mortuary), descriptions of how the figures are placed on the poles, and the meanings of the figures. The book includes a short history of the Northwest Coast, an historical overview of totem poles, drawings and photographs, including carvings in process, and detailed descriptions of figures, crests and ceremonial objects. Nisga’a carver Norman Tait explains the significance of the cultural identity of poles: “a pole is just another person that is born into the family, except he is the story teller…”

Stewart is an award-winning authority on Northwest Coast First Nations art and culture and author of ten books including Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast and Totem Poles.