July 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Historic & Heritage Sites
Find more information about Terrace - Historic & Heritage Sites
View a larger image on flickr.com
Living in Terrace, the beautiful cultural art of the area can really be astounding. We recently took a tour in the Hazelton area where we stopped at the Kispiox totem field. The sheer amount of totems there was stunning enough, but once we took a closer look we really got to appreciate the history and artistry of these giant symbols.
We noticed that some of the poles had carvings on the tops and bottoms but the middles were blank. Our guide informed us that this was because the Carvers would make them with their apprentices. The head carver would design the bottom and his apprentice would be in charge of the top. This is also why the bottoms were most often more intricately done.
Even though the totem poles we saw were up to a couple hundred years old, their designs may have dated back to hundreds of years before. Whenever a totem pole's design becomes too worn down and indistinguishable it is redone on a new pole. Allowing the representations and stories to live on.
The totem fields really left a lingering sense of culture and truly connected with me on a personal level. Seeing the culture of a nation expressed for everyone to appreciate was a touching and enriching experience which we were lucky to have been a part of!