Monument and Cemetery

Posted by William Housty via the RRN on February 16, 2015. This is a pole that was made by Charlie George, for George and Wilfred Martin, who both drowned while out trapping, at Spider Island. Wilfred was older than his brother George, and they both held chieftainships in Bella Bella. The reason there is the eagle with the whale is because those crests speak of the origin story of Wigviłba-Wakas at Goose Island. Wilfred Martin's mother, named 'Old Queen Mabel' came from the Wigviłba-Wakas lineage through her father, and Wilfred Martin was supposed to be the next in line for that name, but he died. George Martin held the chieftainship Yimazalas, from Nulu, a place where the Martin family comes from, from a man named Gvui. Years after this pole was put up, a couple of men attempted to steal it, and they cut it down, but never did take it, so the pole still sits there on the ground where it fell, by the Martin family grave house.