Header - Thunder Bird Park

Title - Late Park

Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic PoleThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26804.

Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole, 1953
Carvers: Mungo Martin, David Martin and Mildred Hunt

The pole is in front of Wawadiťła, the big house built by Mungo Martin in Thunderbird Park and opened in 1953. Rather than display his own crests on the pole, as was customary for a pole standing before a lineage house, Martin chose to include crests representing four of the Kwakwaka’wakw nations:
A’wa’etłala, Kwagu’ł, ‘Nak´waxda’xw and ‘Namgis. He wanted to represent and honour all of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations.
RBCM 20122.

 

 

Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic PoleThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26804.
Thunderbird, a crest of an
A’wa’etłala family at Dzawadi, Knight Inlet, whose original ancestor was the Thunderbird who transformed into a man. Later, his son returned to the sky to control thunder and lightning.
Grizzly Bear holding a Copper, the ancestor of a Kwagu’ł family.
Grizzly Bear in human form.
Beaver, an ancestor of a ‘Nak´waxda’xw family at Ba’a’s (Blunden Harbour)

Dzunuk´wa, the Wild Woman of the Woods, holding her child. A crest of a ‘Namgis family at ‘Yalis (Alert Bay) whose founder was the son of a man who had chased Dzunuk´wa for stealing dried fish and eventually married her. Her half-human son became the founder of the family.

Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole and Wawadi?łThunderbird Park, 1991. Andrew Niemann photograph.
RBCM PN 22259.
Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole and Wawadi?łThunderbird Park, 1977. Andrew Niemann photograph.
RBCM PN 13195-10.
Side view of Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole and Wawadi?łThunderbird Park, 1953. BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Side view of Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole and Wawadi?łThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26980.
Close up of the ThunderbirdThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Close up of the Grizzly BearThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Close up of a Grizzly Bear in human formThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Close up of a BeaverThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Close up of the Wild Woman of the WoodsThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Front view of the Wild Woman of the WoodsThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
Side view of the Wild Woman of the WoodsThunderbird Park, 1953.
BC Government photograph.
BC Archives I-26979.
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