Totem-Pole Model

Item number E73804-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

From card: "Collector's description and legend [which is attached to back of model]: "Heraldic or Totemic column, Bella Coola Indians NW Coast British Columbia. 1. The lower figure represents a dancing mask - NA-TOOST NA-KOX-STA Issuing from the mouth and forming the column are: 2. the LAH-KECT or squirrel. 3. next above THINK-INMIE bat. 4. next above KO-LOU beaver. 5. next above ANOOTS-KOOTS mother of raven. 6. surmounting all is the KWAH or raven. The whole is a pictograph that is a legend of the Bella Coola. James G. Swan, Port Townsend, W.T. November [sic, should be No] 18" In addition to the above text, label on model also has date of Sept. 16? (or 26?), 1884.