Visit Saxman Village in Alaska

One of the highlights of the trip my wife and I took to Alaska two years ago was our visit to Saxman Village located near the tourist destination of Ketchikan, Alaska. The village, where visitors can view a cluster of 22 totem poles, is proof of the resurgence of interest in the art of totem poles. Some of the poles are as tall as 30 or 40 feet. Saxman Village was named for Samuel Saxman, a Presbyterian clergyman, who, according to alaskaonline.org, was lost at sea while searching for a site for the construction of a school and church.

Increase in Interest in the Poles. Prior to the 1960s and 1970s, the art of totem pole carving as well as interest in the poles themselves seemed to be on the decline. Then, in those two decades, a group of scholars, both native and non-native, began an effort to bring the art back to prominence. Totem poles that had been removed from their native sites, either through purchase or theft, were returned to original sites and restored. Artists carved new poles. Totem poles were back. Visitors to Saxman Village can view not only the existing poles, but can also watch a carver as he creates a new pole.

Meaning and Purpose of Totem Poles. Contrary to popular opinion, totem poles are not objects of worship, but, as Wikipedia says, they tell stories and legends, commemorate important events, or represent cultic beliefs. Perhaps the idea that the poles were related to worship comes from their use in movies where they are often used without regard to their real meaning or context.

Shame Poles. One proof that the poles are not worship objects is the existence of so-called "shame poles." Shame poles, as Wikipedia points out, were carved in order to shame individuals or groups into settling unpaid debts. Saxman Village's Lincoln Pole-which contains a figure of the famous U. S. president at the top-was apparently created to shame the U. S. government into paying for slaves which were freed by Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Another possible meaning of the pole is simply to recognize the importance of Abraham Lincoln in U. S. history. There is no way to settle definitely the argument over the pole's meaning. Other shame poles may recall quarrels, murders, and other unpleasant events.

Visitors will find Saxman Village a convenient place to view a variety of totem poles-not just a variety of styles, but also a variety of purposes and meanings.

Sources:

www.alaskaonline.org/travelplanner/southeast/saxman.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem_pole