Haida totem pole

Haida totem pole

Totem pole
Haida
Indigenous people
First Nations
British Columbia
Liverpool museum

The object is a tall Haida totem pole from the Haida people who are located in northern British Columbia. The totem pole is tall and has several markings – three watchmen, Ts'aamus (supernatural snag with frog in mouth), a grizzly bear with two supernatural cubs, and sgaana (killerwhale). Totem poles are primarily used to mark certain events such as deaths and the formation of forming new political connections through marriage. The objects theme is museum age scramble because the item was collected by Charles F. Newcombe and sold to the World Museum, Liverpool after Henry Forbes, the Director of the Museum at the turn of the century, desired a totem pole for the museums collection. This is an example of a museum actively seeking to improve its holdings for the viewing public to beat local and international competition.

Haida people
Collected by Charles F. Newcombe

World Museum

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/collections/blitz/survivors/item-553849.aspx

1860s-1870s

Sebastian Cook

World Museum (Item number: 20.5.01.31)

N/A

Material object - wooden

20tht century British Columbia