Story poles
Totems that tell a story
01
Schelangen Story Pole
Also known as the Mobil pole or the Ferndale pole (pictured on the left), the Schelangen story pole was a pole made to signify friendship between the Lummi tribe, the Refinery, and the people of Ferndale. at the base of the pole is the crest of the Lummi tribe, a protector symbol. As you move up the pole, you see 4 figures, symbolizing the different groups, and a horse symbolizing the Refinery, the space between them is peaceful.
03
Bronson Story Pole I
A pole of two stories. The first story is one of a raven and a bear. The raven was known for his gluttony and boastful behavior. One day, the raven came to the house of the bear and asked for a feast of dried salmon and oil to dip it in, which the bear did so graciously. After the meal, the raven boasted that he could also make such a meal for the bear were he ever to come visit. When the bear did come to visit, however, the raven's wife was preparing the salmon and there was no oil to be found. The raven rushed his wife, who in turn burnt the salmon. The bear, noticing all the commotion, made oil for the salmon to be dipped in.
02
Man in Transition Story Pole
This totem was carved for the World's Fair in Seattle. this is a story about growing up, told in the form of a pole. Starting at the bottom, you see a bear, with its teeth bared, a boy in all rights. the next part of the story is about a half-man half-bear, which is him getting guidance along the way, from a snake who helped train the boy. it is important to note that not in every story snakes are villainous creatures, in this story it was a spiritual guide for the boy.
04
Bronson story pole II
The second part of the story pole is of a mink who blamed his bad luck on everyone and in this story, he blamed his bad luck at catching halibut on the whale. The Thunderbird (a native spirit of the sea) had heard about the mink blaming everyone for his bad luck and had enough of it. The thunderbird went to the whale and told the whale to punish the mink for his behavior. The minkn began to cause trouble in the belly of the whale, which soon killed the whale, bringing its carcass to shore. when the people of the village found the carcass, they cut it open, revealing the mink. the children of the village laughed at the mink, as the stomach acid dissolved the minks hair, which cause the mink to run away in shame.