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Large Carved Totem Poles
In 1951, the Indian Act was revised and the ban on potlatching was dropped, rendering the celebration and raising of totem poles legal once again. Totem poles were again carved and erected in the communities along the coast.
Large poles and monumental sculptures carved from red and yellow cedar were also used as house corner posts, entrance poles, as mortuary poles, which held the remains of high ranking individuals, and as memorial poles erected in honour of a deceased leader.
The large poles in this gallery represent the different artistic styles developed by the coastal peoples. Each First Nation developed a distinctive traditional artistic style. Look at the carving styles of the large poles and compare them with each other. Can you see the different figures and animals? Click on each pole for information and a larger image.
All these poles are on loan to the SFU Museum from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria.
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