page_title: Kayung totem pole
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Kayung totem pole / Description
caption_attribution_description: Totem pole made by Haida
context_page_description: The Kayung totem pole is a 12-metre totem pole made by the Haida people. Carved and originally located in the village of Kayung on Graham Island in British Columbia, Canada, it dates from around 1850. In 1903 it was sold by Charles Frederick Newcombe to the British Museum, where since 2007 it has been a prominent exhibit in the Great Court.
context_section_description: Due to its size, the 12-metre (39 ft) pole spent most of its time at the British Museum confined to a stairwell, as this was the only space of sufficient height available. After the roof of the Great Court was constructed, it became possible to install the pole there in 2007.
  Weathering on the pole means that there is no remaining paint on the surface, but the explanation of what the carvings represented is available. Chief Wiah told the stories to Charles F. Newcombe, and they were recorded in the 1903 description. The stories themselves are corroborated by another of the Museum's totem poles, which was obtained with a model of a First Nations longhouse provided by Keen. The second pole was almost identical to the first one. The figure at the top represents Yetl, and the design also incorporates Haida crests.
  Haida guests were present at the museum for the installation of the pole in the Great Court in 2007, and told the story carved into the pole, which involves a man who tricks his wicked mother-in-law.
caption: The totem pole is 12 metres (39 ft) high
exif: {}