KOONA ‘Alder House’—frontal pole

Last Pole Carved? Dawson photos (1878) don’t show a pole at house 24 (Smyly’s numbering system)—and most authors agree no poles were carved after 1883 on Haida Gwaii. Alder House’s Raven clan pole has been in Prince Rupert since 1935, the City Hall located totem is a Jeffrey copy made in 1965. Transforming The unambiguous combination Killer whale and Sea Grizzly makes this Raven pole distinctive. Other Rupert Haida poles may have similar transformations, but they are more subtle, thus debatable. .

Koona Newcombe 1901

Bear mother: lower figure

All Agree With the two cubs peaking out there is little doubt this is bear mother as seen on many Prince Rupert poles. .

2^nd figure has same head as 3^rd figure

Sea Grizzly This is clever visualization of “killer whale” transforming into “sea grizzly” before our eyes The head is the former and the body of figure 2 is the latter. We recognize this is a not an animal by noting the human like hands which means we are dealing with a “supernatural” being Note the ears are more like a killer whale dorsal fin than are smaller ones on “bear mother” (above)—another clue for ‘supernatural grizzly’ .

Killer Whale Here is the full figure (left)—note the killer whale tail fins near the top of figure. (just above the hands and somewhat like another ‘eye and ear’ see detail right) Who is riding –dorsal fin? The figure riding the whale (head just below killer whale dorsal fin see left and detailed above) is a woman who was captured by the killer whales and saved by her husband. Who is holding –tailfins? Most authors consider the husband to be the top figure (arms around the whale —but MacDonald calls it Tca Maos, “supernatural snag” A closer look (right) shows MacDonald probably right. Note the ears and compare with Snag on Rainbow pole .

Alder House	City Hall	Raven
Grizzly Bear House	Hospital Hill	Raven
Rainbow House	Fulton St	Eagle
Koona	Main site
Ninstints	Last year file