Synopses & Reviews
Of all the artistic achievements of the native Americans of the Northwest Coast, totem poles are the most striking. although other peoples in history have carved and raised commemorative columns, no other poles are so intricate and monumental. From the Tlingit settlements of Alaska to the Kwakiutl villages of Vancouver Island, this book presents hundreds of poles in vivid line drawing and in historical black-and-white and contemporary color photographs; it also explores the cultural, spiritual, and social traditions that form the context for these spectacular works of art.
Review
"This is a fascinating, informative, and important book produced by one of the finest small publishing houses in the country. The author, an anthropologist, has devoted his life to a study of North Coast Indians."
—PAUL PINTARICH , The Oregonian
Synopsis
This survey of totem poles from the Tlingit settlements of Alaska to the Kwakiutl villages of Vancouver Island examines the traditions that led to their creation. It includes both the author's vivid drawings of totem poles and historical photographs of early native settlements.
Synopsis
Examines the creation of totem poles from the Tlingit settlements of Alaska to the Kwakiutl villages of Vancouver Island.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 183) and index.
About the Author
Edward Malin is an anthropologist whose professional life has been dedicated to the study of Northwest Coast Indians. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in cultural anthropology and East Asian studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Before retiring from the Japanese studies program at the University of Portland, he served as chairman of the humanities department at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon; chairman and associate professor in social sciences at Marylhurst College; teacher of folklore and cultural anthropology at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon; and a consultant with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Arts & Crafts Board. Malin has also been a lecturer for the Seattle Art Museum and the Ethnic Arts Council. He resides in Lake Oswego, Oregon.