gyảaGang (House Frontal Totem Pole)

Poles erected in front of houses, or the carved structural components at the front of houses, display the crests of the families who own them. They represent a family's status and affiliations. This pole is a copy of one which was moved from old Masset to Beacon Hill Park, in Victoria, by Newcombe, in 1901. The original pole was from house 34 (MacDonald), an unnamed house, possibly owned by 'Eagle' of 'The Rotten House People.' The fragments of the old pole came to UBC in 1948. These remained in storage until a skilled Masset carver could be recruited to carve a new pole. This new pole was raised on the Museum's grounds on October 2, 1982. The old fragments are still in storage.

The pole was made between August 1981-October 1982. The cedar log was donated by Western Forest Products. Log preparation was undertaken by Fred Davis, Mike Lepago and Pete Durnell. Bill Reid served as an advisor/artistic consultant. Wood scientists for Forintek provided technical guidance.

Status; clan affiliation.

Figures from top represent, raven, frog, sea bear with cub, human, bear with frog and grizzly bear with sculpin.

Free standing house frontal pole with hollowed out back. Bilaterally symmetrical distributive bas-relief carving with painted details, in flat black and orange red. From top is a standing raven with attached cone-shaped beak; head and shoulders of frog; sea bear with dog-fish like face on ears, wide orange-red tongue extending over fore-paws raised to chin; sea-bear cub with head to bottom and body over top of sea-bear body above with hind limbs of top sea-bear under and to sides; upside down human head with arms emerging at sides; bear head with frog emerging from mouth; grizzly bear with sculpin between forepaws and frog on each ear. All eyes are black and round with black round or tapering oval outlines; eyebrow bands are black; eye and ovoid detail on raven wings are black; ears are outlined in black; mouths and nostrils are red-orange. Large longitudinal cracks, darkened areas and green growth along centre front. Bird droppings along areas of highest relief.