Photo: Maxime Cyr-Morton
Thunderbird House Post - photo by Maxime Cyr-Morton
Stanley Park
Brockton Point
facing E., short totem on right
Other
1988
cedar
Totem pole
In place
City of Vancouver
Description of work
The house post is carved of red cedar with a Thunderbird at the top, a Killer Whale on the chest, and a Grizzly Bear holding a human being at the bottom. The current pole is a replica of a pair carved by Charles James in the early 1900s and owned by Chief Tsa-wee-nok of Kingcome Inlet. The top bird figure originally had wings. (from Totem Poles, Hilary Stewart, 1990)
Artist statement

In 1914 two posts were rented from Chief Tsa-wee-nok of Kingcome Inlet as part of the movie set for In the Land of the Head Hunters by Edward Curtis. The Art, Historical and Scientific Association of Vancouver bought them in 1927 for Stanley Park. When the first one decayed badly it was replaced by a fibreglas pole (situated near the miniature railway). The original was restored by James's granddaughter Ellen Neel in 1963 and is stored at the Vancouver Museum. In 1988 Tony Hunt carved a replica to replace the second one which is at Brockton Point.- from Hillary Stewart, Totem Poles, 1990, Douglas & McIntyre

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