I am carving a small totem pole this week -IT'S FINISHED

[Frank Pellow]

I made one slight modification yesterday.  The change I made was to extend Raven's eyebrows a bit on either side, and this serves to somewhat merge Loon and Raven fuzzying up the dividing line between the two.

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Because the loon is my own, somewhat nontraditional addition I wasn't completely happy with the way in which I had integrated it into the pole and this kept nagging me.   Now, with this change, I am happy.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Eventual Location of Pole:

While I was carving this pole, I intended it to be placed at spot on Pellow's Island and I will, indeed, take it there next week.  

But two things have happened to change my mind about where to permanently place it.

The first is that I temporarily placed the totem pole in our front garden last week awaiting it's eventual move to the island.

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It looks quite in place in the garden and many people have told me they like and hope it will stay.

The second is that I have definitely decided to carve a bigger (about 3 metre high) pole at the island.   I will probably do that next year and, once that pole has been completed, I will return to smaller pole to our garden in Toronto.

 

[Holzhacker]

Very nice. The middle white face reminds me of one of the South Park kids.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Very nice. The middle white face reminds me of one of the South Park kids.

Thanks.  According to Haida ledgend that face represents the moon.  Raven took the moon out a box where it was being horded and placed it into the sky for the benefit of all creatures.

 

[Sparktrician]

The last step was to conduct a ceremony where the poles are awakened.  In this ceremony, the poles lie horizontally in the middle of the room, the carvers with some of their carving fools dance slowly around the poles accompanied by the beat of drums.  Three circuits are completed and each carver blows onto each totem on each pass in order to blow life into the totems:

Carving Fools??? 

[big grin]

 

[Frank Pellow]

The last step was to conduct a ceremony where the poles are awakened.  In this ceremony, the poles lie horizontally in the middle of the room, the carvers with some of their carving fools dance slowly around the poles accompanied by the beat of drums.  Three circuits are completed and each carver blows onto each totem on each pass in order to blow life into the totems:

Carving Fools??? 

[big grin]

A Freudian slip it would appear.  [embarassed]  Thanks for reporting it.

 

[Frank Pellow]

The pole has been moved to Pellow's Island

Here are a couple of photos of the pole in it's new home:

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The Haida traditionally place their poles at the spot where visitors arrive.  This is the spot where visitors usually arrive at our island.

The pole is sitting on a large stump of a tree that came down many years ago.

 

[Mac]

As always Frank, than you for the pictures of your beautiful home from home. Your new resident looks right at home there!

Cheers,
Rick

 

[Frank Pellow]

Eventual Location of Pole:

...

The second is that I have definitely decided to carve a bigger (about 3 metre high) pole at the island.   I will probably do that next year and, once that pole has been completed, I will return to smaller pole to our garden in Toronto.

Follow the progress of the larger pole carving in the thread: http://festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/carving-a-3-5-metre-high-cedar-totem-pole-on-pellow's-island-preparation/msg169554/