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Gitsegukla Village
Looking downriver through the lower village.
Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole
Raised by Chief Wiistis. At the top is the Eagle or Live-Eagle followed by a large undecorated space, and then the figures known as Whole-Person, All-Men or Rafters. The bottom has two Humans one above the other. The top human has their hands on their knees, and the bottom human has their hands raised.
Side View: Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole
Perched at the top is the Eagle or Live-Eagle followed by a large undecorated space, and then the figures known as Whole-Person, All-Men or Rafters. The bottom has two Humans one above the other. The top human has their hands on their knees, and the bottom human has their hands raised.
Detail: Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole
This detail of the Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole of Chief Wiistis shows the two rows of Whole-Persons, All-Men or Rafters. Note how the faces of the upper row appear to be frowning, whereas the lower row all appear to be smiling.
Whole-Person or All-Men pole and Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole
On the left is the Whole-Person or All-Men pole and on the right is the Whole-Person or Maw' (Eagle) pole, which were both raised by Chief Wiistis.
Whole-Person or All-Men pole
This pole was raised by Chief Wiistis and has also been called Empty-Canoe or Just-Bark. Perched at the top is the Eagle, followed by the Empty-Canoe, which has rafters inside. At each end of the rafters are carved human faces or heads. Next is a second Eagle, and at the bottom, the Whole-Person.
Totem Poles of Gitsegukla
Found in the lower village, these poles are named (left to right): Hat-of-Tsagyem-hanak, Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar, and Ladder-in-Steps.
Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar pole
This pole, also known as the Weneel totem pole was raised by Chief Weget. This photo details the top Thunderbird, that was partially destroyed when the pole later fell. Below are two rows of skulls. The first row are without bodies and the second row have bodies.
Pole-of-the-Moon
At the top of the pole raised by Chief Guxsan, sits the Mountain-Goat (with a single horn). Next is the moon, with Skawah in it. Skawah is an ancestress of the clan, and she is holding an earthquake charm in her hand. Under the moon is her son, Legi-yuwen, and at the bottom is the owl.
Detail: Pole-of-the-Moon
Raised by Chief Guxsan. On the back of the pole is a second smaller moon that was attached to the pole, with a portrait of the ancesstress Skawah holding the earthquake charm. The image was painted in red.
Base: Pole-of-the-Moon
This is a detail of the owl from the base of the pole raised by Chief Guxsan.
Pole-of-the-Moon and the Owl pole
The two poles of Chief Guxsan in the lower village. On the left is the Pole-of-the-Moon, and on the right is the Owl pole.
Skawah on the Pole-of-the-Moon
This detail is of Skawah, who is an ancestress of the clan. She is inside the moon, and is holding an earthquake charm in her hand.
Gitsegukla Village
This is a view of the lower village at Gitsegukla. The three totems in foreground are (from left to right): the Snag-of-the-Sand-Bar, Ladder-in-Steps, and Pole-of-the-Moon.
Gitsegukla Village Painting
The lower village of Gitsegukla depicted before the devastating flood of 1936. This is a great representation of the colours used on the poles that are not usually captured due to the black and white photography of the era.