The West Coast of North America is replete with native art, none so impressive as the magnificent totem poles found in both British Columbia and Alaska. The town of Ketchikan boasts some of the best totem artists in the world, many of whom have reproduced classic designs using hand-tools for carving, with methods that replicate those of their ancestors.
The image above was captured in front of the Totem Heritage Centre in downtown Ketchikan. We were fortunate to visit on a rare summer day without a trace of rain in the air. Ketchikan is both the Totem Capital and the Rain Capital of Alaska.
“You must be absolutely honest and true in the depicting of a totem for meaning is attached to every line. You must be most particular about detail and proportion.” ~ Emily Carr
