The gentleman in the photo below is Gagaumguist (Gerald Amos), 
The repatriation ceremony in Canada took place on the grounds of the Vancouver Art Museum on the 10th Anniversary of National Aboriginal Day. An article on the BC government web site shows photos of the ceremony and the celebrants. Gerald Amos, committee members and members of the family that owned the pole are pictured in traditional Haisla dress.An article on the Canada-Europa Mundi web site describes and illustrates the visit of the Haisla people to Sweden when the pole was officially returned to them and shows many of the same Haisla people in traditional dress. Four Haisla carvers travelled to Sweden to carve a replica of the pole to replace the original.
The pole will be returned to Kitamaat at the end of June before a massive celebration by the Haisla First Nation on July 1.
2 comments:
thank you so much for the email leading me to this link.. I have long been pulled (for lack of a better word) to this area.. totem poles are fascinating and good medicine. I even have a metal one hanging outside my front door.
I hope to visit this region someday.. and I'm glad you had such a lovely trip :)
cindy - I'm glad you were able to see this post. I'm always so excited when objects get repatriated and so it was a very great privilege for me to see this pole. I hope you get up to the northwest soon to see the totem poles for yourself. Yes - they're good medicine.
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