gyảaGang (House Frontal Totem Pole)

About this object

Narrative

Pole from the north end of the village, facing the beach, along a small bay on the east side of SGang Gwaay (Anthony) Island. It once stood against the front of an unnamed house. The pole was collected during a joint salvage expedition by the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Provincial Museum. The following people assisted with this expedition: Smyly, John; Atkins, Bernard; Reid, Bill; Duncan, Kelly; Jones, Roy; Jones, Clarence; Jones, Frank.

Cultural context

status

Iconographic meaning

Eagle and frog are crest figures belonging to the lineage of 'Those Born in the Southern Part of the Islands' of the Eagle moiety, Kunghit Haida.

Physical description

Top portion of a pole (part b), crescent shaped in cross section and carved in shallow and deep relief. At the top is a kneeling human/hawk transformation figure with beaked nose re-curved into mouth, raised forearms with five fingers folding over each palm and a human body. In the centre of the kneeling figure is a small squatting human wearing a two ringed potlatch hat. At the bottom is a raven with wings folded at its sides. The pole is unpainted.