What's New: January: Benjamin A. Haldane photos of Metlakatlans!!! February: new photos of Sydney Campbell! December: The story of the totem has been discovered!! October: new photos of Tait poles and Kwakiutl poles December: Mystery pole identified |
Known carvers of Metlakatla: Sydney Campbell, 1840-1934 Eli Tait, 1872-1949 Eddie Feak, Eli Tait's stepson; 1903-1981 Conrad Mather?, 1849-1907, father of Casper Mather Casper Mather 1876 or 77-1972 Edward Keith Mather, 1848-1925, silverworker, father of Paul Mather. Conrad R. Mather, Paul's son, Ketchikan teacher, 1923-2002 George Mather Sr, Paul's son, carpenter, Ketchikan, 1918-1990 George Mather Jr, grandson of Paul Mather. Clyde Boyd, 1924-1976 Roy Bolton Wallace Leighton, a carver and fisherman Richard Leighton, carver and fisherman John Reese? Contemporary artists: (also see Modern Revival) Stanley Marsden, Eli Tait's wife's grandson Rick Booth (Great-grandson of Eli Tait) Tim Milne Sr. (studied with Jack Hudson; cousin of Clyde Boyd Jr.) Mark Milne Sr. (studied with Jack Hudson; cousin of Clyde Boyd Jr.) Gloria Milne, graphic arts, a Boyd cousin |
Introduction, and pictures of some Metlakatla carvers with their totem poles. (the complete list of Metlakatla carvers known to me is below) Eli Tait, Sydney Campbell; the Mathers, Clyde Boyd; Roy Bolton plus a remembrance by Robert Hewson. (may be slow to load) 5) Eli Tait: biography 6) Eli Tait's poles: carvings by Tait; and a guide to identification (may be slow to load) Good Luck Totems compared 8) Questions: on the origin of the Good Luck Totem, and on the carvers themselves, with a discussion of Chief Johnson's totem. 9) Good Luck Totem: A theory of origin: motifs from Chief Johnson's and Kian's totems? 10) Possible Origin: A closer look at the Good Luck Totem and Chief Kian's totem 11) Contact: email address and information about the author of these pages 12) Links: Native resources and personal favorites 13) Gallery: photos of other Metlakatla poles, carvers unknown 14) Metlakatla Pictures: old pictures of New Metlakatla 15) The Story of the Good Luck Totem has been discovered! 16) The Modern Revival : traditional forms revived by contemporary artists a preview of things to come; photos of a pole by Chief George Walkus |
Site Map |
Introduction, and pictures of some Metlakatla carvers with their totem poles. (the complete list of Metlakatla carvers known to me is below) Eli Tait, Sydney Campbell; the Mathers, Clyde Boyd; Roy Bolton plus a remembrance by Robert Hewson. (may be slow to load) 5) Eli Tait: biography 6) Eli Tait's poles: carvings by Tait; and a guide to identification (may be slow to load) Good Luck Totems compared 8) Questions: on the origin of the Good Luck Totem, and on the carvers themselves, with a discussion of Chief Johnson's totem. 9) Good Luck Totem: A theory of origin: motifs from Chief Johnson's and Kian's totems? 10) Possible Origin: A closer look at the Good Luck Totem and Chief Kian's totem 11) Contact: email address and information about the author of these pages 12) Links: Native resources and personal favorites 13) Gallery: photos of other Metlakatla poles, carvers unknown 14) Metlakatla Pictures: old pictures of New Metlakatla 15) The Story of the Good Luck Totem has been discovered! 16) The Modern Revival : traditional forms revived by contemporary artists a preview of things to come; photos of a pole by Chief George Walkus |
Many of the photos reproduced on these pages are taken from internet sources, and original copyright information is often not available. All efforts have been made to identify and credit sources; please contact me if any have been inadvertantly omitted. All other text, essays, and original photographs are copyright Steve Akerman, 2003 and 2004 except as indicated. |
Early Totem Carvers of New Metlakatla |
With the greatest respect, this site is dedicated to those early artists, known and unknown, who kept the Metlakatla carving style alive; and to their descendants today. |
Known carvers of Metlakatla: Sydney Campbell, 1840-1934 Eli Tait, 1872-1949 Eddie Feak, Eli Tait's stepson; 1903-1981 Conrad Mather?, 1849-1907, father of Casper Mather Casper Mather 1876 or 77-1972 Edward Keith Mather, 1848-1925, silverworker, father of Paul Mather. Conrad R. Mather, Paul's son, Ketchikan teacher, 1923-2002 George Mather Sr, Paul's son, carpenter, Ketchikan, 1918-1990 George Mather Jr, grandson of Paul Mather. Clyde Boyd, 1924-1976 Roy Bolton Wallace Leighton, a carver and fisherman Richard Leighton, carver and fisherman John Reese? Contemporary artists: (also see Modern Revival) Stanley Marsden, Eli Tait's wife's grandson Rick Booth (Great-grandson of Eli Tait) Tim Milne Sr. (studied with Jack Hudson; cousin of Clyde Boyd Jr.) Mark Milne Sr. (studied with Jack Hudson; cousin of Clyde Boyd Jr.) Gloria Milne, graphic arts, a Boyd cousin |
What's New: January: Benjamin A. Haldane photos of Metlakatlans!!! February: new photos of Sydney Campbell! December: The story of the totem has been discovered!! October: new photos of Tait poles and Kwakiutl poles December: Mystery pole identified |
by David Boxley |
In their Canadian homeland, the Tsimshians had been the carvers of huge house poles, dance screens, and ceremonial objects of all kinds, in an artistic tradition extending back hundreds if not thousands of years. This came to an end in New Metlakatla, and for many years only small souvenir items were carved for the tourist trade; with little if any sign of the traditional style. Though they are evidence of the loss of a great artistic tradition, these small poles represent a victory too; that they were made at all then, and still exist now. And the descendants of the carvers have returned to the art of the past, and have both learned and re-created the traditional style, and brought it into the 20th and 21st centuries; one example is the poster above. In addition, the artists of the contemporary generation have been active not only in the revival of NW Native art, but of the culture too; David Boxley is known in particular for his deep involvement in reviving and transmitting traditional culture, performance, and potlatch. Past artists who should be honored for their work in preserving Tsimshian culture include Edward Feak, who was known as a storyteller and keeper of the oral history, and Rev. Paul Mather, who worked to preserve Tsimshian language in the schools. |
