The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-18
WHAT A TOTEM POLE Is.

On the Queen Charlotte ISLANDS In South
eastern Alaska live G. people who differ
freu ali other Alaskan natives. Their
language Is as different as is the Teu-
tonic from the Romance They possess
higher degree Of civilization, They are
good looking people, strong and healthy
and cleanly IN their hanits. They are
larger than other Alaskan natives. When
first discovered by white men they lived
were generally poles wonderfully carved.
which always attracted attention. and
brought forth praises and admiration.
Many OF these poles were worth from
100 20 $500. and were. as they ought 70
be, the prida Of their possessors- The
poles are what are commonly known as
totem poles, and the people are the
Hydshs. Their carvings on stone and
their superb features testify TO the fact
that they belong TO the same race as the
to wander So far north must ever be
mystery. Or were they. really, the rem
nant CT people who wandered south and
established a civilization which even now
exci.es cur admra ton?
The totem poles Of Alaska originated
with the Hyeahs and are only found with
them and those who claim relationship to
them. West OF Yakutat bay no totem
poles are found. Here 10 found another
race Of people who differ from the Thin
Las usAa hx SlQy
differs from the Teuton- The story that
the totem poles tell Is even now hard to
interpret Their makers and their descen-
dants Ia most instances have passed TO
the great beyond. The books that were
intended accurately 10 tell their history
still remain. But where Is the man who
Ia wise enough to read them: 1t 10 true
that now no two Alaskans will read
totem pole alike. The true history Of the
Egyptians OF the Western continent must
ever remain a mystery to mankind.
There are three kinds of totem poles:
q The family totem. generally erected In
front Of houses. giving history OF the
family; CD the death totem, in which are
placed the ashes OF the dead, and 90 the
historical totem. erected to tell about any
remarkable happening The historical to-
TEN. especially. IL found all along the coast
Of Southeastern Alaska. In order TO fully
understand these poles It must be borne
In mind that the Hydahs were divided
into three classes: The mobiles, the free
common people ana the slaves. Slaves
in front Of their houses. as IL was not
considered necessary for their family his
tory to be known. The Hydahs are d.
yided into two tribes. each Of which has
a ruler The chief totem OF one is the
eagle. and Of the other the raven. These
tribes again are subdivided into families.
and each family has O totem to mark 1t
from the others. such as bear. beaver.
frog, wolf. whale OF some other animal
When a child arrived at the age OK FIVE
Il. This Was usually done either upon the
breast or legs. Sometimes the tattooing
was not done till the child became older.
When the child grew up, II he had. say
seal tattoed upon him. he belonged TO the
seal family and could marry no one with
the same totem, no matter how distant the
relationship might be. When man and
woman were married. and set up home
for themselves, a family totem pole was
erected in front Of their house 50 that all
could read their family history and know
who they were FRS. came the totem Of
the wife, then that o: the husband, and
then the totems Of their relatives Thus
on a family totem pole may be seen first
a raven, then an eagle. followed by bear.
a wolf, frog, etc.
When a Hydah died his body was ere
mated and his ashes carefully placed in
a hole In the back OF what is known as
the death totem and then carefully COW
cred up. Upon this pole were carved the
to.ems OF the deceased. and II was then
placed upon some small uninhabited ISL
and These poles are now exceedingly
rare
The historical totem was erected to com
memorate any event or sometimes to crys-
taliize "a legend which had been handed
down fer generations But what story
they tell is now almost impossible 20 de-
terrnine. I; cannot BE- done with any de-
gree ot accuracy. Probably Il never was
known except TO It's maker and his friends.
on this class q totem poles Is found first
the totem Of the maker. then. perhaps,
the ;o;ems 81 the principal actors In the
event or legend. and then carved pictures
Il the even. or legend which best Illus
.rates the same according &c the IDEA OF
the maker,
Tho Hyiahs possessed no religion They
pract,ced a few rites and ceremonies which
had been handed down 20 them from time
iulm. mortal. ShauauisTn never gained any
great footholt among them. The totem
poles are II M manner connected with
any religion They belong 70 a past age
and even now are locked Upon as some thing
ancient and strange Sy The natives them
selves They balong 70 the picture-wri,-
inx age Whether or not the Hydahs