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Blogs by C J Cutayne
carving a totem pole 3/14/2012 8:40:16 PM
Another wind storm in BC has knocked down many old growth cedar trees. Natures loss is our gain. The wind storm of 2006 knocked down one tree that was 800 years old. It was intact and was salvaged so that Haida carver Clarence Mills could create a masterwork in First Nations carving. The tree will be carved 360 degrees which is unusual because most totem poles are only carved on one side.
In my novel "Because of the Moon" the village is losing its traditions because so many people can't afford to stay on their ancestral land. For some villages this is a sad reality but for many bands like the Haida in Haidi Gwaii off the BC coast they are able to support their arts and their traditions.
It is wonderful that carvers are keeping up the traditions of their ancesters and I hope we get to enjoy their amazing artwork for generations to come.
