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By Amanda Lewis, Class of 2020

On the Southeast coast of Alaska sits the small town of Sitka, known as Sheet’ka by the indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit people. The beautiful landscape and rich wildlife have attracted people for over 10,000 years. And that includes me. I journeyed there on the Holland America cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, in September, 2022. I travelled with my husband, parents, grandmother, and an aunt. Our little crew spent only one precious day in Sitka, but it was an adventure filled with hikes, eagles, salmon, and totem poles.

The coastal Sitka National Historic Park, featuring many totem poles, truly inspired awe and wonder. It is Alaska’s oldest designated park, commemorating both the conflict and harmony in Sitka’s history that created this unique American town. The park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Most of the totem poles, attributed to the Tlingit and Haida, line a forest trail and are recarvings. But many original poles, some over 100 years old, are showcased in the Visitor Center.

From the NPS website, we learn this about the Sitka National Historic Park Totem Pole 101:

The park’s visitor center and trails contain several different types of poles:

• House posts, which were carved as support poles of Tlingit and Haida houses;
• Frontal poles, which were placed against or near the front of a house; and
• Detached poles, which were placed anywhere in or near villages.

They generally convey the ancestry (crest poles) or history (history poles) of a particular clan, folklore or real-life experiences (legend poles), or commemorate a person of importance (memorial/mortuary poles). What exactly do they mean? Often we don’t know. The meaning may have changed over time or been forgotten. The story may be sacred, to be shared only with clan members. Even in the past, the stories might have been so private that only owners understood the meaning of their poles.

A favorite pole of mine is the Raven/Shark Pole. Chief Tom Teh-Gat of the Tlingit village of Klawock on Prince of Wales Island was the owner of the original Raven/Shark Pole. It is believed it was initially carved for his wife, who was from the Kaagwaantaan clan. The original pole, housed in the visitor center, has traveled far and wide, including brief stints at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition and at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. There is a 1978 recarving crafted by Tommie Jimmie, Sr. (Náakil.aan, Lingít Aaní Kinaa, K’eixix) that stands in its place on Totem Trail. Raven, creator, trickster, and pest, is seen at the top of the pole.

Raven stories are inseparable from the culture of the Alaskan and Pacific Northwest Coast and often explain the origin of the world around them. The Raven/Shark pole might represent the clan symbols of the Tlingit patron’s wife. It could also symbolize the raven/shark legend: Raven went underwater to a new world, fell in love with and married Shark, despite her shame at the ugliness of her skin and face. Raven, the legend goes, said true beauty comes from within.

If totem poles and the indigenous culture of Alaska strike your interest, there is so much to explore close to home. First, of course, are the fabulous exhibits at the Field Museum. But also, did you know there is a totem pole in Lincoln Park that once belonged to the Kraft family?! Go out and find it, then CLICK HERE to learn more.

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