Carvers finish up their work for historic totem raising July 18-20
- Wrangell Sentinel
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
By Jonathon Dawe
Wrangell Sentinel
The rhythmic tap of carving tools and the scent of fresh-cut cedar fill the Wrangell Cooperative Association carving shed, where dozens of visitors gather, cameras clicking and questions flowing. Mike Aak'wtaatseen Hoyt, a Teehítaan clan leader, patiently explains the intricate process and profound purpose behind the towering totems.
"The totem raising we're doing in July is the first one in almost 40 years," Hoyt said, referring to the events scheduled for July 18, 19 and 20. "Part of our goal with all of this is to help bring back Wrangell's legacy of totems. At one point, 30 to 40 totems were in this area."
The newly carved totems nearing completion are a key part of the WCA's latest Native culture revival plan. The initiative began in 2013 with restoration work at Chief Shakes Tribal House. By 2015, the second phase was complete with construction of the tribal cultural center and carving shed on Front Street.
The carving shed now houses the poles, which will be raised outside Chief Shakes Tribal House, at Totem Park up from Front Street and at the post office in July, marking the culmination of the third phase.
Hoyt, who also teaches Tlingit art and culture at the local high school, said he is pleased by the interest from tourists. However, he expressed the most pride in seeing a growing engagement among local and regional youth.
"It's easy to forget how much time has passed," Hoyt said, noting that most of the original poles were taken down between 2010 and 2012. "That was 15 years ago, and many of my students are not even 15 years old."
Family and cultural ties etched in wood
Among the totems being prepared is the Kadashan pole, the fourth iteration of a design that is at least 200 years old. This pole will replace the 1940 version, which has lain on Shakes Island for several years since its removal.
The original Kadashan pole, dating to the 1830s, was inspired by a five-foot carved wooden staff (also known as the Kadashan Cane or Speaker's Staff). This staff was gifted to Chief Kadashan in the early 1800s by Haida relatives, commemorating marriages between Haida men and Tlingit women, Hoyt explained. A few years later, Kadashan raised a totem pole in the cane's image.
Hoyt described the significance of the figures he and his fellow apprentices have carved into the new Kadashan pole:
Eagle: This figure rests atop the pole, with two copper shields beneath it.
Gunakadeit: A sea monster, whose sighting signifies future good fortune in Tlingit tradition, is the next figure.
Bear: Below Gunakadeit sits a bear, which Hoyt and apprentice Fred Young were initially unable to identify.
Sandhill Crane and Frog: A sandhill crane sits just below the unidentified creature, followed by a frog seated at its feet.
Second Gunakadeit: In a rare occurrence, Gunakadeit appears a second time at the very bottom of the pole.
The last totem pole raising in Wrangell occurred on July 2, 1987. Indigenous people from across Southeast Alaska attended the event. Tlingit dancers in Native dress sang and chanted, their rhythms kept with dance sticks, decorated drums and other ornate carved emblems of their clans. New songs were performed for the dedication of the Kicksetti totem, an emblem of the Wrangell Tlingit people.
The "raisings" July 18-20 actually will be unveilings. Because of the complicated logistics required in raising a totem and anchoring it in place, the poles will be set in place in advance, then unveiled at the event, Hoyt said.
The ability to carve totems extends deeper than just his heritage, he said.
"My great-grandfather, Tom Ukas, was the last great carver from here. He died back in 1971," Hoyt explained. "His father, William, was also a renowned carver. This project makes it sustainable for future generations to continue to have a strong connection with their heritage."
One of the totems - the Xook'eidí grave marker - will be raised at the post office and will stand next to an existing totem, which was carved by Tom Ukas.
There will be a separate ceremony for each totem unveiling: The Undersea Bear, Double Whale Crest Hat and Bear Up The Mountain poles will be raised at Shakes Island; the Kadashan pole will be raised at Totem Park; and the Xook'eidí grave marker at the post office.
The dates for each location ceremony have not yet been determined.
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska transferred $500,000 in federal funding to the WCA for the carving project. The money was part of the U.S. Forest Service $25 million Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy, intended to help diversify the economies of Southeast communities.
Though he hasn't been carving for very long, Hoyt said he has always been enchanted by the stories from the past.
"In our culture, oral tradition is very important; and I always loved hearing the stories," Hoyt said. "Everything means something. Every figure on a totem tells a story. It's exciting to see all of this coming to life."
Hoyt smiles and speaks more rapidly as he talks about the shaping of each figure on a totem.
"It's exciting for me, to see the figures start to come to life as I carve them," he explains. "The faces really start to emerge as the eyes are shaped and carved."
Hoyt said he started carving driftwood and on pieces of cedar that he found before carving his first solo piece - a killer whale, which sits out beside the carving shed.
"Each carver has a way of making their own mark on what they create," Hoyt explains. "When I carved the killer whale, I didn't bring the tail all the way around under the whale, like others have done, because I wanted to make mine more structurally sound so that it will last longer."
A good place to teach
Hoyt couldn't attend the last totem ceremony - he wasn't born yet - but he said he grew up hearing about the ceremony.
"The ceremony in 1987 was definitely a cultural touchstone for Wrangell and for my family," he remarked.
Hoyt said 2026 will see the raising of at least one more totem - a second Kadashan totem - with the possibility of other totems being raised. With three active carvers in the shed, he said the plan is to stay busy.
He watches as groups move in and out of the carving shed and smiles.
"I like this, because I want it to be like a sort of living history museum," he explains. "You go to another location - like Ketchikan - and they have thousands of visitors from so many boats, and it's impossible to educate someone in that environment. Here, it's more controlled and people can learn something. We can teach them, and they will remember."
• This article was originally published by the Wrangell Sentinel.
