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Description

Painted model totem pole with a series of figures on a green base and a pointed top end. From base to top the figures are: beaver with frog extending down from its chin, small bird head facing upwards, bird with ears, frog, humanoid face with abstract design above head on pointed top section.

Narrative

The reference for this model pole is the “Kiks.ádi Pole” standing today in Totem Park, Wrangell, Alaska. This model may have been manufactured by one of several carvers who worked on the Chief Shakes House reconstruction (dedicated 1940) under the auspices of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Thomas Ukas is one possibility, as is Charlie Jones. The top figure of the pole represents Taalḵunáx̱kʼu Shaa, Devil’s Thumb Mountain. This mountain stands at the back of Taalḵú or Thomas Bay on the mainland across from Petersburg, Alaska. The area belongs to the Taalḵweidí clan who are named after the bay. The frog beneath the mountain figure represents the Kiks.ádi clan who use the frog as their primary crest. The related Ḵaach.ádi clan also uses the frog as their primary crest, so the frog may represent both. The Big Raven looks down on the Little Raven. This pair of figures refers to the story of how Raven obtained the sun, moon, and stars from the Old Man (or Raven) at the Head of the Nass River (Naas Shakée Yéil). The bottom figure is a beaver with a frog on his chest. Beaver is a major crest of the Raven clans, particularly the Deisheetaan. The G̱aanax̱.ádi and Kiks.ádi also use the beaver, and some people have claimed that the Deisheetaan and Kiks.ádi come from the G̱aanax̱.ádi originally. All three clans share names and stories as well as the use of the beaver, and they all are probably related in some manner.
This model pole was probably purchased from the Bear Totem Store which stood on Front Street in Wrangell until the fire of 1950 that destroyed much of downtown. The store was a curiosity shop that sold a wide variety of Tlingit arts and crafts to tourists who came on steamships during the era. Likely made by the same artist as Nb22.88.