Colorful and ornate, nine totem poles — which were created by people whose centuries of heritage is indigenous to North America — stand at Brockton Point in Stanley Park in the city of Vancouver; and they are the most visited tourist attraction in the province of British Columbia.
Totem Poles in Stanley Park in Canada
“The collection started at Lumberman’s Arch in the 1920s, when the Park Board bought four totems from Vancouver Island’s Alert Bay”, according to this article at the official Internet web site of the city of Vancouver. “More purchased totems came from Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and the BC central coast Rivers Inlet, to celebrate the 1936 Golden Jubilee.”
The Chief Skedans Mortuary totem pole is a unique totem pole at Stanley Park, as it is the only mortuary totem pole — and it is actually a replica, as the original was returned home to Haida Gwaii. For example, the pole is a type of totem pole where the remains of a chief would be placed within a cavity at the top of the totem pole. This particular totem pole was carved by the late Haida artist Bill Reid and his assistant Werner True.
During the late 1980s, the remaining totem poles were sent to various museums for preservation; and the Park Board commissioned and loaned replacement totems.
A plaque with the title INDIAN TOTEM POLES has the following text embossed on it:
“The Totem was the British Columbia Indian’s ‘coat of arms’. Totem poles are unique to the north west coast of B.C. and lower Alaska. They were carved from western red cedar and each carving tells of a real or mythical event. They were not idols nor were the worshipped. Each carving on each pole has a meaning. The eagle represents the kingdom of the air. The whale the lordship of the sea. The wolf, the genius of the land, and the frog, the transitional link between land and sea.”
The Thunderbird House Post Totem Pole may quite likely be the most famous and favorite totem pole at Stanley Park because of its colorful open wings.
The Ga’akstalas Totem Pole is one of the most colorful and intricately carved totem poles in Stanley Park. Not only are many legendary people — such as Red Cedar bark man — depicted on it; but also animals such as the killer whale, raven, and grizzly bear as three of many examples.
Final Boarding Call
The totem poles are located on Brockton Point, which is on the eastern part of Stanley Park in Vancouver. No admission is charged to view them; but parking at Stanley Park is not free of charge.
Vehicles can be parked between the hours of 6:00 in the morning through 11:00 in the evening; and the rates to park at Stanley Park in 2022 through Friday, March 31, 2023 are as follows in Canadian dollars:
- April 1 to September 30 — $3.75 per hour or $14.25 per day maximum
- October 1 to March 31 — $2.75 per hour or $7.75 per day maximum
Additional articles at The Gate which pertain to the Vancouver area include:
- Overlooking the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver
- Consider Lynn Canyon Instead of Capilano Park When in North Vancouver
All photographs ©2013 by Brian Cohen.
