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| Moon Raven Pole at Saxman Totem Park |
The 25 totems here are authentic replicas of the original poles that were left standing in abandoned villages as the villagers moved into more populated cities.
The art of totem pole carving was a luxury that experienced its heyday in the mid-1700s to the late 1800s.
The art of totem pole carving was a luxury that experienced its heyday in the mid-1700s to the late 1800s.
The fur trade had provided the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples with a renewed source of wealth – and time to focus on the artistry of the totem.
These poles were symbols of cultural and economic wealth that told glorious, comprehensive stories about the First Nations people and legends of the land.
In the late 1800s, Tlingits from the old villages of Cape Fox and Tongass searched out the Saxman site as a place where they could build a school and a church.
In the late 1800s, Tlingits from the old villages of Cape Fox and Tongass searched out the Saxman site as a place where they could build a school and a church.
The site (just one square mile) was incorporated in 1929 and has a population of just over 400 today, mostly Native Alaskans. Thousands of people visit Saxman each year to witness the artistic craftsmanship and stand in the presence of history—both deeply moving and proud.
