Dr. Charles Frederick Newcombe (1851-1924)

‘Totem poles contain representations of human and animal figures and supernatural beings, and depict the history associated with an individual or family lineage.The images on totem poles cannot simply be read. Only people who were there when the pole was raised, or have been told, can explain why a certain image has been used.

Poles were raised to mark potlatches, deaths, building a new long house, forming a new political alliance through marriage and receiving a name.

This pole stood in front of “Something Terrible Happened House” - the northernmost house in the village of Xaayna (Haina), Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands, Northwest Coast, Canada). Carved during the 1860’s or 1870’s from western red cedar, it shows the crest figures of both wife and husband who lived there.

From top to bottom the figures are:

• Three watchmen
• Ts'aamus – supernatural snag with frog in mouth
• Grizzly bear with two supernatural cubs
• Sgaana - killer whale

We Haida are a matrilineal society, so we acquire our clans, crests, names, songs, dances and territory from our mothers. The Eagle and Raven clans of the West Coast of Haida Gwaii migrated to Xaayna after 1850 and built the last traditional Haida village.

Today, Chief Gaahlay (Watson Pryce) is the hereditary chief of the Tsáahl Eagle clan, representing Xaayna as well as several other Haida villages.’

Text by Haida Gwaii Museum at Qay’llnagaay, Skidegate, British Columbia, Canada