Alaska Indian Arts, Inc. in Haines, Alaska fashioned the 32 foot totem pole in 1975.

The carvings are the authentic work of Tlingit Indians (Tlingit is pronounced Tuh-lin Git with a hard "g").

John Hagen, Ed Kasko and Cliff Thomas were the principal carvers of the works of art on red cedar, which are painted in traditional colors once produced with mineral paints.

Originally situated at Pier 48, the totem pole was relocated here in June, 2009.

Port of Seattle

EAGLE represents a main clan of the Tlingit tribe.

BROWN BEAR denotes the great size of Alaska, holding a TINNAH or money piece as a symbol of the great wealth of the great land.

KILLER WHALE portrays tenacity and great strength.

HAWK depicts sharp eyesight and perception of our future.

GRIZZLY BEAR typifies bravery, but holds a MOSQUITO to warn people all is not easy.

STRONG BOY was ridiculed by all as being a dolt and for being lazy. Strong Boy exercised in secret and when his uncle was swallowed by a SEA LION, all the other nephews ran. Strong Boy seized the Sea Lion by the tail and tore it in half, letting his uncle out alive.

SALMON NET PENS

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Suquamish Indian Tribe and the Port of Seattle work together to operate two net pens. The objective is to raise Coho (Silver) Salmon for "delayed release." The juvenile salmon are transferred to the net pens from Muckleshoot and Suquamish Indian Tribe hatcheries. The delayed release project has been successfully operated since 1994.

The net pens consist of two, side-by-side, rectangular metal-frame floats approximately 140 feet long, 60 feet wide and 25 feet deep that are held in place with submerged anchors and are covered with netting to prevent entry by fish-eating birds and mammals.

Depending on the strength of each year's hatchery return, between 300,000 and 500,000 juvenile fish are received from the hatcheries in early March to be fed and reared here until their release in late May or early June.

Port
of Seattle