City of Duncan Totem Pole Tour

We begin our journey at the spectacular Centennial Pole. This pole was carved in 2012 by the internationally renowned artist Calvin A. Hunt to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Duncan's incorporation as a town in 1912, making it the most recently carved pole on this tour.

The story told by this pole is perhaps the best-known story to all the peoples of the Northwest Coast, though it varies significantly and each tribe has its own version. It tells the story of how Spaal', the Raven, tried to steal the Sun, known as Sumshatut.

This pole is by the Coast Salish artist Richard Krentz, who comes from the shíshálh Nation on what we now call the Sunshine Coast. His mother was an artist and his father was a canoe carver, and he has been carving since the age of five.
This pole, called Bringing Light to the World, was commissioned by Judy Hill, the owner of the Judy Hill Gallery, which specializes in Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous art.

This is the third pole we've seen by Doug LaFortune, and it is called Wind Spirit. At the top is the Thunderbird, and the smiling face gazing out from its chest is Suli 'U Tu Satuts, the Wind Spirit. At the bottom is Spe'uth, theblack Bear, who is clutching a halibut, or Stsa'tx, in its claws.

"David explained that the pole represents personal growth and transition. The pole represents the family: the mother, the father, and the child. The Seal represents the family’s food supply. We share the earth with the Killer Whale and Seal, and they share it with us; we affect each other. The Seal, Killer Whale, and Man share the wealth of the sea, namely Salmon (David Marston, Interview, Oct 2012). "
David’s nephew Peter Francis worked with him during the three months it took to carve the pole. In cutting between the top and middle whale they used great care to not overcut and lose the integrity of the shape of the pole.
In describing the whales on the pole, David said: the Killer Whale is the helper spirit of fishermen. His inspiration for the pole was from his friends and his wife, Jane Marston.

Ned Matilpi, a Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw artist from the Ma'amtagila Band on northeast Vancouver Island, carved this pole showing Thunderbird with Dzunuḵ̓wa. This is the one of several totem poles that depict the supernatural figure of Dzunuk'wa, the Wild Woman of the Forest. She occupies a feared and revered place in the culture of the Northwest Coast, and features in many stories.

This pole, called Human Between Bear's Ears, was carved by Lenard Paquette Jackson, a Cree artist from Slave Lake, Alberta.
He described the pole, saying: "The human in between the Bear's ears is to make the Bear aware when Humans are around; the Human is also to watch out for the safety of the animals."

"In Kwakwaka'wakw culture, woman "tsadak" are the life givers, chief makers and the carriers of our cultural property. In many of the most sacred Kwakwaka'wakw ceremonies, it is only the woman that can perform and fulfill the spiritual roles that are able to complete such traditions. It is always said in the traditional gatherings that the children “gingananam” are the "reason" that the Nation continues to carry on with their traditions and cultural ways.
"The Bear, "Gila" to our Kwakwaka'wakw People, symbolizes the power and authority that our noble ancestors and Chiefs carry throughout our territories. As a reminder to our people about the great teachings that were shared through this union, we carve the bear on our house posts to remind us of our responsibilities to our guests when we invite them into our houses. We are to protect and guard all who have honoured us by responding to our invitation and must ensure that they are treated with respect and honour while in our house.
"The salmon "kutala” is our greatest resource on our BC coast. It is the salmon that has allowed numerous nations to survive with abundance and wealth. Among our Kwakwaka'wakw Nations, we believe that when twins are born, they are a gift from the Salmon People. Twins are entitled to perform the Salmon Dance and usually a composer will create a new song specifically for that set of twins to dance and celebrate the special gift of twins."

Tom LaFortune comes from an illustrious family of Coast Salish carvers. He and his brothers Doug LaFortune and Dr. Francis Horne Sr., apprenticed under the hugely influential master carver Simon Charlie, and they too carved a number of poles featured on this tour.

"Harold shared his family’s story about traditional carving: This is what my grandfather told me before I started….everything is always about the balance…traditional, right from the start. It is well-known in First Nations culture that there is always a balance in life.
Harold feels most comfortable using the raven and the beaver figures, which are his family clans.
"The symbolism is the air and the land, we have to learn to balance that. Both are Mother Earth’s cleaners…to keep Mother Earth clean. That’s why I chose to do that. It’s the symbolism, the green around the eyes. It’s what the animals see, Mother Earth, on the trees and mountains, it’s green. The pole is also about motivation. The Raven draws people to it and the Beaver represents an educator for the young, the builders (Harold Joe, Interview, Oct 2012)."

This is the Owl Spirit pole, the work of Master Carver Tom LaFortune. Born in Duncan in 1959 to the Tsawout First Nation of the W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) peoples, LaFortune began carving at age 11 under the mentorship of Simon Charlie, alongside his brothers, Doug and Francis. His Owl Spirit pole features an owl atop a Coast Salish chief. His mother was his inspiration:

The Abolishment Pole is the first totem pole Don Smith carved for the City’s collection. Don is a Coast Salish artist from the Cowichan Valley, a member of the Cowichan Tribes. He began carving in 1985 and apprenticed under the respected Simon Charlie.

"The pole was done more as a symbol of British Columbia, as the figures represent sky and sea, and were done in a balanced relation to one another. The powerful Thunderbird being a symbol of the supernatural and of strength, with lightning and thunder as signs of his flight. The Killer Whale is shown in its awesome form reflecting its natural presence." (Harold Alfred, Submission, 1990)
The Thunderbird is a mythical creature that is common in First Nations stories on the Northwest Coast, and the Killer Whale is often shown on poles with the Thunderbird. The colours that Harold used to paint this pole were inspired by commercial products: an Export "A" cigarette package for the green and a Coca Cola pop can for the red.
John Ingraham, who taught the art of carving in the Kwakwaka’wakw territory, assisted Harold with carving this pole.

This pole is called Bald Eagle, Raven, Black Bear. It was carved by the Cree artist Lenard Paquette Jackson, who was born in Slave Lake, Alberta, and brought his artistic talent to Duncan, honing his craft for almost 30 years.
Len's mother was murdered when he was just two years old, a tragedy that haunted him and also drove him to create great works of art. Speaking about one of his works, he said: "I want to honour my mother who was murdered when I was two and a half years old and other women from around the world who have been murdered, terrorized, and beaten. It's time for us to stop that. Women should be treated with kindness and respect. They are the life givers."

This pole depicts the flood story of the island of Gwa'yasdams, which today also goes by the name Gilbert Island. The island is between the mainland and northern Vancouver Island, and is where the carver, Basil James, came from.

Peaceful Boundaries is a totem pole by Norman John. John is from the West Coast of Vancouver Island, land of the Nuu-chah-nulth (or sometimes called the Nootka).
It tells a tale from the Wars of the West Coast Peoples in the distant past, one that was passed down to John through many generations.

This monumental totem pole, Cedar Man Walking Out of the Log, was carved from a 775-year-old red cedar that once grew near Port Renfrew.

The woman and man are wearing woven Salish blankets; on the base are symbols that are important objects for the Quw'utsun' people. The two figures represent a balance between the female and male aspects of life.
"Cedar woman is the original of all of our woven materials... she had a dream, and in the dream she was taught how to weave, and she was taught not only how to weave but how to collect cedar roots, how to split the roots, how to weave reeds, how to weave basketry, how to weave clothing, how to weave red cedar and yellow cedar... her gift was to teach, and so she taught people how to weave, and brought weaving to the community and brought weaving to a finite skill." (Tim Kuchlyski, granson, interview, Feb 2021).

This is the Pole of Wealth, by the Nuu-chah-nulth carver Norman John.

"The Seal (bottom figure) has the Thunderbird spirit in its tail. Man coming out of the Eagle’s chest is Transformation. He has recognized in his life that how he lives and associates with fellow men, is how he is respected. Eagle is freedom, Salmon is survival, Whale is long life. In the philosophy of Man, these traits are necessary to gain spirituality (Glen Edwards, Submission, 1988)."
"The Whale’s head in the wings signifies the spirit of the Whale, and the Salmon spirits are seen in its legs. The Seal is representative of the sea, the Thunderbird is spiritual. When figures have their tongues out they are sharing a spirit…red is respect for life and black holds it together, gives it solidity. The Eagle has its wings up, like your arms up high; the Eagle can fly high and would carry your prayers (Herb Rice, Interview, Oct 2012)."

The Guardians was carved by Dr. Francis Horne Sr., one of five poles he has created for Duncan. Though he is a Coast Salish artist, with a Tsawout, or Saanich mother and Lummi father, this pole is done in the Northern style and the guardians at the top are traditionally associated with the Haida.

This depiction of Dzunuk'wa, the Wild Woman of the Forest, was carved by the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw artist Oscar Matilpi in 1989. He was the father of Ned Matilpi, who carved his own interpretation of the Wild Woman for the City of Duncan. Oscar, who was born in 1933, passed away in 1999.

Heavily influenced by Simon Charlie and Doug La Fortune, Dr. Francis Horne Sr. created the Chief’s Pole to tell the story of how humans and the Q’ul-lhanumutsun killer whale, came to live in harmony.

Family is of utmost importance for the peoples of the Northwest Coast and this is no exception for Dr. Francis Horne Sr. He is from a large family with many siblings so Francis’ understanding of the role that family plays in building a community informed his creation of The Family totem pole.

The Quw’utsun Mustimuw have historically lived in the Quw’utsun valley and had summer villages along the Fraser River on the mainland pre-colonization. Since time immemorial we have lived in harmony with and taken care of land and mother earth. The designs that are depicted in this mural are a reflection of snuw’uy’ulh (teachings) from our siem s-ul’hween (respected elders).
The theme of this mural is reconciliation. Elder Albie Charlie stated that sharing Cowichan history is an act of reconciliation because we cannot build better relationships without a better understanding of Cowichan culture and values. This mural contains elements of our culture and values that have developed throughout our history in Cowichan. Additionally, the tears of the sun and the orange footprints represent the grief and sense of loss that we feel for the children who did not make it home from residential schools.

Here we see a fierce mother bear, Ten' U thu spe'uth, protectively cradling her cub, Spe'uthal'lh. This is the fourth pole by Doug LaFortune on this tour, and he named it the Family Pole.

"The story goes that the Quw'utsun' people were starving because the Killer Whale prevented the Salmon from coming up the Cowichan River. So the people prayed day after day, until finally their prayers were answered. The Tzinquaw (Thunderbird) came and picked up the Killer Whale, deposited it on Mount Tzouhalem; the Salmon started coming up the river again. In this case, the pole depicts the Thunderbird (mythical eagle figure) as a saviour and protector of our people; and the Killer Whale as a monster (Cowichan Tribes, Submission, 1986)."
"As a first process to carve a traditional pole you would burn the log, burn the outer layer with pitch. The result is a different colour on red cedar; it is sort of a grey-black. The black sea-going canoes were also prepared in this same manner. Today we would use the natural colours and not paint on the poles. (Harvey Alphonse, Interview, Nov 2012)."

This image tells the story of our Quw'utsun people who paddled the ancient highways. Large cedar canoes would be used to travel up and down the coast. All living things were respected and valued. None more than the cedar tree. It is also known as the tree of life because of its multiple uses and more importantly its spiritual value. The canoe is respected as a living being and not just an object. We need to be in a good place before we touch it or get in it. We take care of the canoe like you would a child, or yourself.

"Te Anhio Whio is calling out over the forest with the flute…he was bringing them all in tune to the sound of the forest, the deforestation…he was saying to Tane Hiira that we need to do something about it…in a quiet protest way. Tane Hiira's tongue tells us he is a great orator of wit, comedy, and knowledge. The tongue…tells us of a man’s status, character, and talents. The pendant in the shape of a fish hook, is a good luck charm. The meremere (club) was a close combat weapon; it is now used in our dances to welcome other tribes, people, and dignitaries. Three fingers signifies three baskets of knowledge: etiquette and protocol, creating of Heaven and Earth, spiritual knowledge. The size of his hand and fingers signifies strength (Tupari TeWhata, Interview, Oct 2012)."
The panel behind Te Anhio Whio symbolizes the forest and sea creatures in abstract form. The translation of the pole name is: The Welcoming Pole of the King of the Cedar Forest.

This totem pole is located inside Duncan City Hall. During work hours you can go inside and see the pole at the rear of the main floor.
Hwunu’metse’ (Simon Charlie) carved this pole in 1957 for Lloyd and Frances Hill, of Hill’s Koksilah Stores Ltd, who donated it to the Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives in 1986. The City of Duncan contracted Simon to restore the pole in 1987. In a 1986 interview with architect and Cowichan Historical Society member Shane Davis, Simon explained:
“The pole is a memorial pole with the upper frame representing the Burial Box. The aged climbed into a box (coffin) as their end drew near and after death would be mounted atop the pole. The lower bear figure carries the treaty scroll signed by the Natives and Whites or government officials. The memorial frame surrounds the sun and shows eagles and ravens which depict the spirits or helpers of the soul. [The] pole is a copy of an earlier pole carved to commemorate the treaty signing.”
The figure of a Goat, with horns, is depicted in a sitting position. Hair from goats was woven into textiles, especially blankets. Goat hair caught on the branches of berry bushes when they were grazing during berry picking season, and was plucked from the bushes by weavers. Utilitarian spoons carved from the horns were used daily for eating ooligan (a kind of fish) grease. Many families still use goat horn spoons today for the grease.

Similar to Duncan's totem project, Duncan's sister-city, Montmagny, in the province of Quebec, created public space to encourage sculpting. Claude was invited to Duncan as part of the sister-city program to produce this sculpture.
"My "La fille des dunes” (woman of the dunes) is a woman who is on the edge of the water, on a rock, who scans the horizon to see if her husband's fishing boat will return soon. In earlier times, wives of fishermen were worried about their partners who went fishing during storms and were slow to return to port. They would go to the shore to calm their fears. In memory of that era and to pay tribute to those women I created this artwork (Claude Tardif, Interview, Dec 2012)."
It was a challenge for Claude for two reasons: to carve a piece of this size and to speak to people in English. He stated he really enjoyed his time with the other carvers.

The Eagle's Pole shows both Yuxwule’ (Bald Eagle) and Squl’ew’ (Beaver). This was the very first pole carved for Duncan's City of Totems, and Dr. Francis Horne Sr. included the industrious beaver to symbolize the start of this huge project.

This dramatic pole by Doug LaFortune is called The Feast, and tells the Quw'utsun' story of how the mighty bird saved the Quw'utsun' from the supernatural whale Qwunus in their hour of need.

Raven's Gift, by Doug LaFortune, tells the story of the first totem pole. It's the first of four poles on this tour that he carved. Like his brother Dr. Francis Horne Sr., Doug is Coast Salish, with Quw'utsun', Tsawout, and WSANEC (Saanich) heritage.

"The top two figures on the pole represent the Quw'utsun' legend of the Thunderbird and Killer Whale. Tzunquaw (Thunderbird) is one of the more rare and powerful beings in our (Quw'utsun') history. A Killer Whale is an extremely important part of our culture and history... The figure of Spe'uth (black bear) adds to the power of the story, as he is the eldest of a generation; strong and protective." - Tim Kuchylski, grandon, Interview, Feb. 2013
The wealth of the pole's owner is indicated by the copper shield that spe'uth (black bear) is holding in his paws. Simon's work is textured, which was his trademark; some of the animals would look like they had fur, feathers or scales. Another one of Simon's trademarks was to put faces on the feet of the bear; a sad and a happy face. Simon would say that in life there are sad times and happy times.

This remarkable pole draws the viewer in. The expressions on the figures convey a range of emotions. The eagle's deeply carved wings makes it seem like it could take flight at any moment.The lack of paint lets this piece of ancient red cedar speak for itself. This pole was carved by Laverne 'Corky' Baines, who was born in Chemainus. With this totem Corky is telling the story of Transformations.

Second from left in this grouping is the Friendship Pole, carved by Cicero August, a master carver from Samuna', one of the Quw'utsun' Tribes.
Cicero's bold use of colour brings these figures to life. The brightly-beaked eagle holds vigil atop the pole, while beneath sits a bear with a salmon clasped in its paws. The bear can be identified by its short snout, small ears, large toothy mouth, and tongue that protrudes between its sharp incisors.

This pole was carved by Dr. Francis Horne Sr. and is called the Owl Pole. An owl stands vigil at the top, scanning the horizon. Beneath is a mother bear, speu'th, representing strength, hugging her child close in a protective embrace. The Owl is the Horne family crest, and represents wisdom.

This striking pole is called Kwaguʼł Bear Holding a Seal, by the master carver Richard Hunt. He modeled it on a house post carved by his father, Henry Hunt, for the Kwaguʼł big house at Thunderbird Park in Victoria.

"This pole depicts the story of a transformation in life. The bottom figure signifies a Man on a vision quest. During this rite, an Eagle carries him away. When he returns as a young person, the Eagle with the wings wrapped around him represents his Guardian Spirit. His life starts, like a rebirth or as some people state a second chance to change his ways. The Eagle represents wisdom, great vision, and healing (Harvey Alphonse, Interview, Nov 2012)."
Harvey was influenced by local carvers, including Nelson Canute who worked with Harvey on this pole. Nelson carved the top figure of Eagle holding the young person.

This pole tells the story of Canada’s hero Rick Hansen.
"Corky wanted to honour the work that Rick was doing. Corky had an accident and could relate to the difficulties people had with mobility. The idea of the pole was to tell the story of Rick’s journey around the world (Marilyn Baines, wife, Interview, Sep 2012)."
"The Eagle is a representation of the Great Spirit. The Eagle soars really high and it can see a huge distance…Corky was thinking of how Rick Hansen looks out and sees beyond. The Killer Whale is a symbol of transformation; on the whale fluke is a carved face, and that represents the Wolf. The Killer Whale will come up onto the land and it will change into the Wolf and hunt on the land as a Wolf. Rick transformed himself and made a huge difference in the world (Jane Baines Marston, sister, Interview, Nov 2012)."

Sacred legends of the Quw'utsun' people are represented in this pole. Chief Tzouhalem is dressed in the regalia of a Salish Spirit Dancer: a hair hat, a paddle jacket and a kwutsmin staff decorated with deer hooves. These regalia are still used in Salish winter dance ceremonies. The flood story is represented by the figure of the Frog and is a central legend of the Quw'utsun' people.
Simon was asked to put a Grizzly Bear on the pole, but he said they do not inhabit this area; the Province insisted. So not to offend the spirit of the Grizzly Bear, and show that it would be an honoured guest he put a pile of blankets underneath; a traditional way for the Coast Salish to honour an invited guest (Simon Charlie, Macnair Report, 1999).
"The quality of this pole is exceptional as it represents a period of time in which Simon Charlie produced his best work (Judy Hill, Letter, Nov 2002)."

This pole honors the Coast Salish fisherman. He is seen here holding a fishing spear atop the natural fisher of the sea, Q'ul-lhanumutsun, the Killer Whale. The pole represents the two kinds of fishers, as well as the deep connection between the Coast Salish people and the waters they rely on.