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Survival of the Hungriest

A Miniature Northwest Coast Style Totem Pole

Sold Out. For similar carvings, check out my Etsy shop.

Survival of the Hungriest: Eagle (with Salmon), Bear (with Salmon), Killer Whale (with Salmon).

One of my favorite things about Canada’s West Coast is the taste of wild Pacific salmon. Pungent and delicious, this anadromous fish is not only a staple for many Canadians, but also an item of fierce competition among several of the Pacific Northwest’s more wild residents including the eagle, the bear, and the killer whale.

Eagle

Eagle.

The eagle, the so-called “master of the skies”, is one of the most sacred animals in Haida and Tlingit mythology. Being  Raven Clan), the eagle was considered by the Northwest Coast people to be a messenger to the Creator; an animal which, due to its ability to fly to soaring heights, was uniquely equipped to travel between the physical world and the spiritual world. The eagle represents power, wisdom, nobility, and prestige.

Bear

Bear.

The Northwest Coast is home to three species of bear: the black bear, the grizzly bear, and the Kermode bear (the so-called “spirit bear” of Tsimshian and Bella Bella legend). To the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the bear, the most powerful of the land-dwelling coast animals, was considered to be the protector of the animal kingdom. A clan totem for several of the West Coast’s First Nations, the bear embodies independence and strength. To the Haida and Tsimshian peoples, the bear symbolizes motherhood, courage, vitality, and family.

Killer Whale

Killer Whale.

The killer whale or orca, the so-called “lord of the ocean”, is an important animal in Northwest Coast tradition. The Tlingit viewed the killer whale as a benevolent protector of mankind, and held it in the highest regard, while the Kwakwaka’wakw believed that the killer whale was the reincarnation of an ancestor lost at sea. The killer whale is one of the four major clans of the Tsimshian Nation (along with the Eagle, Raven, and Wolf clans). The killer whale represents kindness, intelligence, compassion, and kinship.

Salmon

Eagle, Bear, and Killer Whale with Salmon.

For millennia, the salmon has served as the primary food source for all of Canada’s Pacific coast First Nations. The salmon symbolizes abundance, fertility, prosperity, and renewal.

This mini Canadian Northwest Coast-style totem pole was hand-carved from yellow cedar and varnished with two light coats of boiled linseed oil. The base is made from western red cedar and is bottomed with genuine Harris tweed.

The base measures 12 x 12 cm (roughly 4.5 x 4.5 inches), and total height is 38 cm (roughly 15 inches).

This piece was hand-crafted by yours truly, a western Canadian aboriginal artist.

Sold Out. For similar carvings, check out my Etsy shop.

Survival of the Hungriest.

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