Carrier Totem Pole
Tsimshian Totem Pole
Kwakiutl Totem Pole
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Unique Styles of Totem Poles |
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Carrier Totem Pole |
Tsimshian Totem Pole
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Kwakiutl Totem Pole |
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Due to the diverse culture of the North West Coast First Nations, there is a great variety in the style of totem poles. Haida poles often have the lowest impact on the original structure of the tree. The artist’s carvings are often very shallow and two dimensional, few protruding features, such as wings and fins are found in Haida art, and features such as beaks, and snouts are flattened to the pole (Halpin, 1981). One feature that Haida poles are well recognized for are the well formed eyes, that are said to “peer down at the viewer from their position on the pole” (Kramer, 1999). Traditionally, Haida poles are erected as monuments to commemorate the deceased, or after a potlatch. Tsimshian totem poles will often have crests with limbs projecting, such as wings and fins. The carving of the features is deep in contrast to the Haida carvings; the two are similar, however, in the fact that they are often left unpainted. Tsimshian poles are frequently used to commemorate the death of influential members in society; they are the First Nation’s equivalent to tomb stones. Kwakiutl style poles are known for their brightly painted colours of white, red, green, yellow, brown and black. The thunderbird, perched on the top of the pole, is another characteristic for Kwakiutl poles, the stereotypical idea of totem poles, which come in souvenir form in gift shops comes mainly from the Kwakiutl style (Kramer, 1995).
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