14 Foot Totem Pole Retired To Museum

While reviewing the blog archives I was surprised to learn that I never posted anything about our original camp totem pole that was retired a few months ago when we raised our new totem pole. I really thought that I had posted something about it but I found nothing. Therefore I'd like to share a little bit about the 14 foot totem pole that graced our camp for 18 years.

The picture to the left shows the pole back in 1993 when it was fresh, proud, and in it's glory days. (Due to Federal Hipaa laws I unfortunately had to distort faces of the people, but it was my best picture of the pole.) We cut this fine pine tree during the Thanksgiving holiday during 1991, skinned the bark off, then allowed it to dry under cover of the back porch of the dining hall for a year. Finally the carving was finished and the pole was raised with the aid of tractor hydraulics into a hole that was dug 4 feet deep.

And there it stood proudly for more than 18 years and thousands of people enjoyed it's beauty and story over all those years. But like all good things nothing lasts forever and due to decay that was creating a safety concern, we finally had to bring her down.

Just today I completed a final resting place for the only  remnants from the totem which were still solid; the wings and a section from the poles center that included the feet of the raven, the whole frog, and the beavers head. Sad that all of the pole couldn't have been saved but the internal parts of the remainder were severely rotted.

But fear not because the history of our pole has now been preserved for thousands more to learn and enjoy as we made a permanent display in an educational cabin near the woodshop. If you look at the picture to the right and directly between the wings, I placed the picture above of the totem pole back in it's glory days on the wall. Also there is a story of the totem and its meaning  that I wrote for our camp newspaper just after it was planted in the ground some 18 years ago. You can click on the images below if you'd like to see that story. Preserving history can sometimes be as important as the actual life of something and this old totem has earned its place.

New Camp Totem Pole (Parts 1 and 2)

It's been a long time in coming but the day finally arrived last week on March 23rd when we raised our new camp totem pole! She is now flying high in the sky and proudly looking over all who walk the trail near her path.

This is a very special totem pole for many reasons. For beginners, it was a sad occasion the day before when we had to remove the original totem pole that has towered over our camp for 17 years, since the spring of 1993. The pictures below show it just after removal last Monday and being hauled away. In a future posting I will most assuredly retire it here on the blog with the full story and with the respect that it deserves.

The story of the new totem began more than a year ago when the local power company donated a fine utility pole to our camp with a $400.00 value and a 30 year in-the-ground life. At the time I didn't know that it would become our new camp totem pole and the only thing I was thinking about was the generosity of the power company. Heck, there's a million and one uses for a utility pole.

During the fall fellowship last year I was studying the totem pole at Camp Raven Knob which was obviously made from a utility pole. The idea began to brew in my head of the possibilities and before you knew it I got my gouges and a maul for some experimenting on our utility pole. I was amazed at how well the wood carved so I then began sketching my own totem designs in a note pad until I had it all figured out. About Halloween of 2009 I had the pole on the back porch of our dining hall and the carving had begun!  
      

As you can see from my original design to the right, all of the characters were my own but I did love the upward slant of the wings of the totem pole at Camp Raven Knob. I've carved many totems over the years but this upward slant of the wings was very appealing and gave the Thunderbird a powerful look. By the way I will shortly be posting a detailed video of how I made and carved the wings for our new pole... that will be part 3 of this series so check back soon.

So all of the carving was completed between Halloween and Thanksgiving then between several other high priority projects and the many blizzard snows of this winter, the finished pole sat patiently for 4 months on the back porch. Finally a two-day window of opportunity was opened last week and with the help of a group of 12 boys, the new totem pole was set into it's hole. The following are the meanings of all the characters carved on our new pole:

The Bear: On the bottom is the bear which symbolizes strength and thus the counselors in our program because they build the foundation (see the hammer in the bears paws) upon which all else stands. Without our counselors we would be nothing so sometimes the most important character on a totem pole is on the bottom and for good reason.

The Beaver: Next is the beaver which represents the program directors since they always seem to be gnawing on wood seeking the sometimes elusive trail to a safe and effective program for the kids.

The Frog: This little creature represents the family workers who do a lot of "hopping" around between the kids, families, counselors, and everyone on property as they mediate various problems and solutions that make our program work.

The Wolf: Indian symbolism sees the wolf as having great wisdom and knowledge so this magnificent creature will represent the teachers who make sure that our students stay current in their school work and are well prepared to succeed in the future.

The Raven: This bird will represent the campers family who are also working hard to make the necessary changes in their own lives and preparing the home "nest" for their son to eventually return and flourish into the future together again.

The Thunderbird: The Thunderbird with his wings spread out tall and proud at the very top of the pole will represent the youth and the successful people that they are capable of becoming. If a strong foundation is laid beneath then every kid will have the opportunity to succeed and that will be the real story of our totem pole as they "fly" into their future.

The following are two videos of the totem pole that you might find interesting. I am currently editing another video that will show how I made and carved the wings so check back soon for that one.

Cliff's Totem

As promised I am posting a few pictures from the "totem angel" that I carved for Cliff earlier in the year when so many of us wanted to do something for him. Cliff so enjoyed sharing the stories of checking his mailbox each day and that not even a Canadian snowstorm could hold him at bay to retrieve his mail. This is the totem that I mailed to Cliff and I also included the following description of all the characters on the pole for as you know, every totem has a special story:



Cliff:
Just to let you know that I have finally finished your "angel" but I had to apply a lot of spin to make that work because my heart led me to carve a totem pole. This totem is an almost exact replica of a 14 foot totem pole that I carved for the wilderness camp where I work... sorry that I couldn't afford the freight charges for the bigger one all the way to Canada.

It sits about 8 1/4" on the red oak stand and I carved it from local poplar that I milled down to 7/8" square. I then finished it with some woodburning accent, acrylic paints, and a final polyurethane seal. My goal is to have it in the mail late tomorrow afternoon after work if all goes as planned and hope that it makes it through customs OK. I thought that I'd go ahead and post a few pictures of it here so that you could have something to look forward to and also to share with others on the board.

Starting at the bottom of the pole:

* Bear: This bear is at the bottom of the totem because it represents the tremendous strength to hold up and support all that is above him... just like the amazing strength of your own attitude when faced with the challenge of your life. I could only hope that I would be able to share my feelings and to talk with others if/when I will face such a challenge. The "bear" thus reflects the great admiration that I'm sure many of us here share about your real strength.
* Beaver: The beaver represents your skill as a woodcarver and your willingness to share your thoughts, your projects, and your ability to respond to so many posts here on the board. You obviously have moved up through the ranks in life through the "College of Hard Knocks" where a persons true knowledge is judged more upon their ability to apply common sense instead of their ability to explain the theory of relativity. Personally I find more in common with someone like you who knows how to use their hands than I ever would hanging out with John Smith Phd.
* Frog: The frog is a symbol of your ability to "leap" from one level of life to another, despite the obstacle, with amazing ease. Although apparently a simple thing for you, THAT is a life lesson that we can all benefit from.
* Raven: The raven represents the truth and wisdom that you have shared with us (and I'm sure your own family and friends) during this ordeal and I'm sure others throughout your long life. No matter how long that we are walking on this planet it is a high honor to achieve the wisdom of the raven!
* Thunderbird: The thunderbird on this totem represents what I refer to as the Native American angel that brings everything "full-circle" in your life. Your strength in faith, your love of family, and the protector of all that you do while on earth. It perches tall atop the pole watching over all that is below him so that you know all is well and everything is in order during this life and the next. No matter what, you and your family will be OK.

As I continue to write a small chuckle cracks out on my face because I know what you just said, "Is that all there is"? Well, "No" is my answer because I still believe that even during times of great challenge the best is always yet to come... if only we look for it in the small, mostly unseen cracks and crannies where such hope tends to hide from us. Don't stop looking!


CLIFFS RESPONSE:

Dave, I'm absolutely blown away, man oh man, for once in my 78 years I'm at a total loss for words. Sure, the totem is beautiful, no question, but the thought you have put into the written word is so heart warming. You can rest assured that totem will live in this family (along with the written word) long after I'm gone. Thank you so very very much for being so thoughtful, it's friends like you and the rest of the carving community that make me want to hang on forever. Thank you my dear friend, so very much.
Cliff