Out of the Silence - A Journey Through Pacific Northwest Villages

Haida, Kwakiutl and Alaskan Natives have carved cedar poles for their homes and communities since before 1700. They are only three of many Indigenous cultures or clusters of communities with histories in the Coastal Region between Vancouver BC and Southeast Alaska. First Nations that migrated onto the British Columbia mainland from north of that Province and from Vancouver Island and Queen Charlotte Islands regions brought languages, culture, and arts with them. Not surprisingly, this is one reason that we also see carved cedar poles on the mainland.

Over 40 years ago at this writing, Adelaide de Menil, a professional photographer accompanied master carver Bill Reid on a trip up the Pacific Northwest Coast from the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and Vancouver BC on to the Southeastern tail of Alaska, likely Ketchikan. That end point is likely, because this is the site of a large number of cedar poles carved by native master carvers, some of whom were related to Bill Reid in the past (Chief Wakius/Charlie James, a famous Kwakiutl and others). The photographer and the artist examined the wealth of indigenous art pieces found along their route and recorded them for history. Bill Reid had studied his full heritage and toured this area to explore his legacy.

The Pacific Coastal First Nations built village on many sites photographed by the well known photographer. Mr. Reid added text to offer the emotions brought out by these ancient works of an admirable group of peoples. All of this combined to from the book called Out of the Silence published n 1971. My university at the time had just began classes on the Pacific Northwest natives, with emphasis on the Haida.

Unfortunately, only 62 of over eight hundred photos taken could be included in the wonderful book. Luckily for the world, a full 500 have stood on display at the Bill Reid Gallery. The video to the right captures several of them.

• Four Host First Nations installations in Vancouver BC, from the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• Welcome to Gingolx BC Wilp Sa'auuks Git Gingolx - Near Ketchikan AK, in BC at the Nass River.
• Gitanyow / Kitwancool, BC - HIghway 16 - Totem Poles and native BC Art, Totem art
• Gitwangak Battle Hill National Park, BC - In the 18th Century (1700s), a fortified village was part of the Gitwangak First Nation. The village sat on T'awdzep (Battle Hill), where warriors of the nation could easily look down on all of the Kitwanga River below. Sometimes called the Battle of Kitwanga. Also see Kitwanga BC, Yellowhead; Highway 16, Northern British Columbia - Kitwanga Fort National Historic Site offers tours of a totem pole grouping of several specimens.
• Haisla G'psgolox Pole in Kitamaat - Honors a family whose members were victim to smallpox.
• Quadra Island BC, Gulf Islands, British Columbia -- Quadra Island is located between Mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island and is known for its totem pole installations.
• Rivers Inlet - many additional BC Coastal tribal groups are featured at a well written Facebook Page. You can see comments bu descendants of older master carvers here.
• University of British Columbia installations of Coastal Nations totem poles and other First Nations arts, Vancouver BC.
• Vancouver Art Gallery - Emily Carr (1871 - 1945) - The largest, most comprehensive website on the artist Emily Carr. Searchable database of artworks, biographical and contextual texts, and educational resources for teachers and students.

• Cape Fox Corporation: History - Tlingit People of the Southeast Wind, located at Cape Fox, 53 miles southeast of Ketchikan AK.
• David Boxley Totems - Tsimshian artist David Boxley is from Metlakatla, Alaska.
• Hydaburg Totem Park, Explore National American Indian Heritage Month - A National Register of History - Started in 1911 by Haida People and in the 1930s, served by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) under US Forest Service. One of several "totem" cultural parks in Southeast Alaska.
• Sitka National Historical Park - Totem Poles (US National Park Service)
• Wrangell, Alaska - Alaska Arts - Wrangell Harbor in Alaska; Chief Shakes House.