Skedans Village, Haida Gwaii

Here is the second half of a day long journey around Louise Island with the Moresby Explorers.

The most interesting stop on the trip is the ancient Haida village site of K'uuna Llnagaay (Skedans).

The site has not been inhabited since the 1880's but a few poles and remains of dwellings are still visible.

Although Louise Island is outside the boundaries of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, K'uuna Llnagaay is included in the Haida Heritage Site.

Haida Watchmen stay at the site throughout the summer at this dwelling:

"Skedans village is located on the neck of a peninsula of land at the head of Cumshewa Inlet. A high rocky prominence at the end of the peninsula offered a perfect site for a fort to protect the village. Skedans is a European rendering of the name of the town chief, Gida'nsta. The Haida name for this town is Koona, or in the old days Huadji-lanas, which means Grizzly Bear Town."
http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/haida/hvske01e.shtml

The village was located on a peninsula with beach access from two sides, giving the inhabitants an "exit" route if attacked.



Close to the watchmen dwelling a deer grazes unafraid.

 

Haida Poles are of three types: memorial poles, mortuary poles and house fronatal poles.

 

The book "Those Born at Koona", by John and Carolyn Smyly, is about the ancient village of Koona.

In the book they sketch and describe most of the original 56 poles working from the 1878 photographs of George M Dawson of the Geographic Survey of Canada.

The book "Those born at Koona" is now out of print but copies are available online through Abe Books Canada.

 

 

 

"Most totem poles stand between 3 to 18 metres tall, although some can reach over 20 metres in height.^₃ Different types of totem poles are erected to serve various architectural and ceremonial purposes. Most longhouses had house posts, carved with human or animal forms, to support the main beams of the building. Similarly, some longhouses featured a house frontal pole, which would be located at the main entrance and often contained an opening for passage into the house. Mortuary poles, which contained the remains of the deceased in grave boxes, served as both a tomb and a headstone. Likewise, a memorial or commemorative pole was often created to honour an important deceased person, usually by his or her successor."

http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/culture/totem-poles.html

 

 



 

Most poles were made of Western Red Cedar which is straight grained, rot resistant and relatively easy to carve.

 

 

 

Here is our guide Brian waiting for us to pay attention.

 

Not many of the original poles remain, and those that do are leaning or have fallen. The forest is gradually reclaiming them; I feel lucky to have seen them.

 

Emily Carr visited Skedans (as well as other ancient villages) in 1907 and took some photographs and later painted her recollections.

 



After our visit we got back in the zodiac for our return journey to Moresby Camp.

 

 

"Between Moresby Island and Louise Island is Carmichael Passage, with its steeply forested slopes, and Louise Narrows, a narrow passage that dries at low tide, and carries about 20 feet of water at high tide. Boaters cautiously navigate the strong current through the narrows at highwater slack."

 

Thank goodness we were in the capable hands of our guides.

 

That is all the pictures I have for today, I hope you have enjoyed todays post.

 

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Here are some pictures of my exhibit at the North Shore Unitarian Church:

 

"Sticks and Stones I, II and III"

"The Village People Tryptic"

"Pecking Order"

 

and a link to more of the show:

http://www.gillianolsonart.com/art-shows.html

 

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Here is a painting I completed this week, it is another in the Sticks and Stones series and another varnished watercolour:

 

Sticks and Stones IV

 

Thank you for dropping by and happy Wednesday,

 

Gillian

 



Totem Poles

The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia is a very interesting place to visit. There is an extensive collection in the museum as well as an outdoor collection including many totem poles and a long house.

 

 I took these pictures when I last visited: 

 

Welcoming poles outside: 

Outside the Museum of Anthropology:



"Totem poles may recount familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events. Some poles celebrate cultural beliefs, but others are mostly artistic. Certain types of totem poles are part of mortuary structures, and incorporate grave boxes with carved supporting poles, or recessed backs for grave boxes. Poles illustrate stories that commemorate historic persons, represent shamanic powers, or provide objects of public ridicule." (Wikipedia)

Poles are usually carved of western red cedar because it is resistant to decay (containing a natural fungicide), but still there are not many poles that are more than 100 years old still standing.

 

"The vertical order of images is widely believed to be a significant representation of importance. This idea is so pervasive that it has entered into common parlance with the phrase "low man on the totem pole." " (Wikipedia)

 

 

"Erection of a totem pole is almost never done using modern methods, even for poles installed in modern settings on the outside of public and private buildings. Instead, the traditional ceremony and process of erection is still followed scrupulously by most artists, in that a great wooden scaffold is built, and hundreds of strong men haul the pole upright into its footing, while others steady the pole from side ropes and brace it with cross beams.

 

Once the pole is complete, a potlatch is typically held where the carver is formally paid and other traditional activities are conducted. The carver will usually, once the pole is freestanding, perform a celebratory and propitiatory dance next to the pole while wielding the tools used to carve it. Also, the base of the pole is burnt before erection to provide a sort of rot resistance." (Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

"Totem poles are typically not well maintained after their erection. 

The beliefs behind the lack of maintenance vary among individuals, but generally it is believed that the deterioration of the pole is representative of natural processes of decay and death that occur with all living things, and attempts to prevent this are seen as somehow denying or ignoring the nature of the world." (Wikipedia)

Inside the museum is a huge collection of art from cultures around the world.

MOA describes itself as: "A place of extraordinary architectural beauty. A place of provocative programming and vibrant, contemporary exhibitions. A place of active exploration and quiet contemplation. A place of world arts and cultures."

Bill Reid's sculpture "The Raven and the First Men":

Cooking box lids:

 

I have always been fascinated by the imagery on totem poles and other First Nations' carvings and I sure found some inspiration in my visit to the MOA.

 

Here are two paintings that I have finished recently.

 

Both are watercolours; the first I call "Aurora":

 

the second "Echoes":

 

Both are part of my art show at "Pane e Formaggio", on now until early November.

 

For more information on these paintings or others in my show visit GillianOlsonArt.blogspot.com

 

Thank you for stopping by, yours with whimsy, Gillian.