Totem Poles

The nine totem poles standing in Stanley Park are carved from cedar and painted in traditional red, black, and yellow. These poles arrived here through a series of purchases and commissions starting in the nineteen twenties, when the local parks board began acquiring them from First Nations communities on the coast. Some represent family crests, while others commemorate specific ancestral spirits or historical events. A pole carved by Joe David stands among them, reflecting a revitalization of indigenous art in the nineteen eighties.