Haida Totem Pole, from Old Kasaan


A 19th-century totem pole from Old Kasaan village of the Haida helps us to understand the meaning and function of clan crests.

Haida Totem Pole, 19th century, from Old Kasaan, Alaska (Totem Heritage Center, Ketchikan, Alaska). Speakers: Teresa DeWitt and Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank

Terms to know:

  • clan crest
  • totem pole
  • Northwest Coastal peoples (Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian)
  • Thunderbird
  • bentwood box
  • Chilkat weaving

Additional resources

Learn more about the Totem Heritage Center

Read more about totem poles from The Bill Reid Centre at Simon Fraser University

Learn about the Northwest Coast Village Project

Cite this page as: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank and Teresa DeWitt, Totem Heritage Center Museum Attendant, "Haida Totem Pole, from Old Kasaan," in Smarthistory, August 12, 2021, accessed March 19, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/haida-totem-pole-from-old-kasaan/.