totem poles

[Pottsy1044]

I've been told that there is demand for totm poles in our area, so I thought I'd carve few to test the waters.

Does anyone know what size and kind of tree to look for.
Any comments on finish, sealing etc.

I would appreciate any input from anyone who has done this.

[luscher]

these is vary little material available on this subject, and after reading 'How to Carve and Paint Totem Poles' by Paul Luvera, i came away with the impression that there are few - if any - accurate, traditional practitioners (or indeed any practitioners at all). the book was also very interesting for the cultural information he presented about the styles, traditions and meanings of the various poles. he discusses materials and methods, installing, etc.

as he had some stolen from his yard, one can only conclude there is real interest. at least in certain circles and regions, and he discusses his approach to raising local awareness of his work, and getting commissions

you might consider requesting a copy through your local library's inter-library loan program

[SlowMover]

Over the years my friend has made a few totem poles for our two Boy Scout Camps. They are a ton of work (he made some pretty substantial poles). The pols have a huge propensity to crack and check, and it seems that no matter what he treated them with they eventually cracked. I am not sure what kind of trees they were made of, we got the logs from a scouter in Colorado or New Mexico, had to have the power company send out a truck to plant them on the bases..these were big poles. I would assume you treat them to prevent cracking just like the chain saw boys treat their logs...you might look at their literature, or consider searching the chainsaw portion of this forum. Good luck with the Totums.

[Nomad]

Well, you could always do like I did and carve a small one.





Here's a couple pics of the real deal at the Chicago Field Museum.

[rare yellow zebra]

Hi Pottsy,

Where do you live? Will your future totem pole be erected outdoors?

If you are carving an outdoor totem you need to find a wood that can stand up to the weather. If your carving will be done for an indoor totem, choose any wood that you get at a decent price and that you can carve without needing a jackhammer.

If you are lucky enough to live in the north west, you will have access to the western red cedar. This is by far the tree most often used for totem poles. It grows large, stands up to the elements well and carves well ( have never tried it myself). This was the tree most often used by first nation carvers. The heart wood rots a lot quicker so many of them are are 1/2 trees with the core hollowed out( a 'c' shape if you are looking at the from above). Other trees used in the north west were larch ( tamarack), yellow cedar, and spruce.

If you are elsewhere you may want to try hemlock, white birch, tamarack, or cedar. I have just started my first totem pole and am trying basswood. These don't weather well, but they are easy to carve and were the biggest logs I could find.

If you live in the south east you may want consider cypress.

Indoor totems range from 4' to 20'. Outdoor ones can be 50' plus.

I would choose the log with the widest girth I could find in local wood that isn't too tough to carve. But some folks like their totems poles to be slender.

Any exterior grade wood sealant can be used as a finish, but traditionally they were either left natural or painted with whatever colours they could make using natural dyes. Acrylic paint would work, as would any exterior house paint.
Jay

[Robson Valley]

There are dozens of totem pole carvers in the Pacific Northwest. Charles Edenshaw's grandsons just finished and erected a new 40+ foot pole in Jasper National Park at the CN railway station

The poles in the Chicago Museum were taken from the Haida. The designs are regionally quite specific. Often the pole is meant to describe the clan affiliations of the home owner. Consider the CM pole shown on the right in the photo above.
On top are two men wearing potlach hats.
Below that is Raven, the Trickster, one of the most powerful totems.
Below that is Bear & cub, playing with someone's tongue
Below that but smaller is Frog, wealth and prosperity.
Below that is Eagle, not Thunderbird.

The entrance to the house was between the wings.
Haida houses were sheeted with WRC slabs (one was 36" wide) and might be 30' x 100' with a 12' ceiling. There may have been a slave buried alive under each of the corner posts of the house.

On a more positive note, The very best instoduction to the carvings, symbols and meanings is

Learning by Designing vol 1
Pacific Northwest Coast Native Indian Art
Jim Gilbert and Karin Clark
Raven Publishing
PO Box 325
5581 Horne St.
Union Bay, BC V0R 3B0
Canada

I have learned a great deal about these art styles for several reasons. One, I'm trying to research the provenance of a 4-figure (mid-coast) pole which I have inherited. It isn't more than 60 years old. Two, I am not related to any of those guys. It is a cultural no-no to mimic/imitate their design motifs. . . . . clear to me what not to do.

[Robson Valley]

Nomad: I like what you did. Eagle on top and Bear underneath? Also pleased to see that you didn't paint it. Just my personal tastes but I don't think that small totems need paint.

[Woodyrock]

To copy any Northwest art without permission of the original artist is a breach of protocol. However, if you ask for, and receive permission most NW First Nations people take the work of a non native as a complement. Each bands art style is quite distinctive, although carvers of old with more than one tribal affiliation often merged two styles thus making provenance difficult. When doing your own design, try to keep the whole piece in one regional style, so the piece as a whole will not look clumsy.
Whilst most native carvers do carve the back out of a pole, a chainsaw cut to the heart down the back will control the checking, and cracking on the face.
Woody