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Haida Village
Watercolour
©2010 Charlene Brown
I’m not saying this was painted in the nineteenth century –
just that it is based on 19th century photographs, taken when the
totems in the villages of Haida Gwaii were still intact, and the structures inhabited.
The sepia photographs I used were very smoky, but I was able
to discern large freestanding animal carvings in addition to the totems… and
the totems appeared to be larger at the base than the top, unlike the present
day totem vestiges I painted last week.
I have been asked about the tiki carving I included last
week to illustrate my ‘narrow base’ observations… I bought it in a souvenir store in Auckland in 1967. So no, it is not particularly
ancient or authentic – but he's kind of cute, don't you think?
