Nuu-chah-Nulth Totem Pole

Nuu-chah-Nulth model totem pole (Tlingit KIKS.ADI), circa 1940. This model pole is a Nuu-chah-nulth artist’s iteration of the Tlingit Kiks.adi Totem Pole, probably dating to the 1940s or so. This pole is carved in red cedar and features, from the top: Man in the Glacier, Frog, Raven, Nestling Raven, and Beaver, mounted on a round alder base. The Kiks.adi Totem Pole was originally carved by Tlingit master carver William Ukas (1834-1902) in Wrangell, Alaska. It was often featured on “Totem Route” ads for steamships and was a must-see destination for tourists, making the pole an iconic Alaskan image and a popular subject for artists from up and down the coast to copy. These Kiks.adi model poles by Nuu-chah-nulth artists would have been sold in souvenir shops in Seattle, Victoria, or Vancouver. 9"