A group of Witsuwit鈥檈n hereditary chiefs, elders, artists, and youth will visit Paris this month to view a historic totem pole taken from their territory nearly a century ago. The K鈥櫭玤it pole was sold under pressure in the late 1930s, and has since been housed at the Quai Branly 鈥� Jacques Chirac Museum since 2001.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite emotional when I think about our people,鈥� said Hagwilnekhlh Ron Mitchell, current House Chief of the C鈥檌negh Lhay Yikh (House of Many Eyes) of the Likhsilyu Clan (Small Frog). 鈥淚 will be happy to see the totem pole and a part of our house and chief鈥檚 history, but sad at the same time.鈥�
In 1938, surrealist artist Kurt Seligmann travelled to B.C. to purchase a totem pole, driven by his fascination with Northwest Coast Indigenous art. After consulting with anthropologist Marius Barbeau, who had studied the region鈥檚 totem poles, Seligmann selected the K鈥櫭玤it pole from the Witsuwit鈥檈n village of Ts毛 Cakh (Hagwilget). The pole, revered for its age and craftsmanship, depicts the story of K鈥櫭玤it, a supernatural figure. It was originally raised in the early to mid-1800s by C鈥檌dimsggin鈥櫭痵, a former house chief of C鈥檌negh Lhay Yikh.
The delegation asserts that the pole was sold under duress. With backing from the Department of Indian Affairs and the local Indian Agent, Seligmann purchased the pole from Likhsilyu House Chief Hagwilnekhlh Arthur Michell and other Witsuwit鈥檈n members for a mere $100. The community leaders were pressured into agreeing to the sale, which resulted in the pole being shipped to Paris. It was displayed at the Mus茅e de l鈥檋omme (Museum of Man) before being moved to the Quai Branly Museum.
SD54 District Principal of Indigenous Education 鈥橧lhdesinon Birdy Markert, a descendant of the pole鈥檚 original sellers, views the visit as a step toward healing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an emotional uncovering of past stories regarding our traditions that are difficult to pull apart,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want young people to understand what our ancestors went through as they dealt with colonization and how hard they fought to keep our culture and traditions alive.鈥�
No decision has been made regarding the pole's rematriation. As this is their first visit, the group said it's too early to determine the outcome. Other options may include carving a replica or creating a cultural exchange.
Master Carver Dz茂ggot Ron Austin, who is part of the delegation, is eager to see the pole from an artistic standpoint: 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing opportunity to see the pole that may have belonged to my grandmother鈥檚 older brother. It means a lot as an artist to see what my ancestors created before me in person.鈥�
The delegation hopes the journey will help restore and strengthen the Witsuwit鈥檈n鈥檚 cultural ties to the K鈥櫭玤it pole, contributing to ongoing revitalization efforts for their community.
"Our stories shared on ts鈥檃n (totem poles) are such an integral part of our identity," delegation member Ts鈥檃k毛 ze鈥� West鈥檈s Sandra Martin Harris said. "To visit this pole and connect with the history it holds is both painful and healing."
