is the art of the people of the Pacific Northwest coast living from Oregon to the Gulf of Alaska. The word totemic derives from the totems which were carved and erected in villages and in front of dwellings. There is great variety of subject and style from one area to another and from one tribe to another. These variations serve to identify the clan or tribe of the artist.

Art Forms and Materials Used
The objects and forms depicted in totemic art are typically the animals, fish and sea mammals found along the coast and frequently are the clan symbols identified with a specific group. Mythical figures and legends are also common. The totemic designs are unique to the culture, with subject and form strictly prescribed and often difficult for the uninitiated eye to interpret.
There are only four basic shapes used in totemic art; the ovoid (oval), the V, the W and the circle. There is room for some artistic license and that is becoming more common as younger artists explore the art form.

Wood carvings are the objects usually associated with totemic art. The totem poles found in Native villages are famous, Also, intricate carvings decorated the everyday objects found in households and on boats. The bentwood boxes, bowls, spoons, house posts, decorative screens, paddles, tackle boxes, halibut hooks were carved with clan symbols which not only served as decoration but identified the owner of the piece. The traditional colors were black, red, teal blue and white; all were made from mineral sources.

Silver and gold was first used by the Native Alaskan artists after contact with the first Europeans and Americans to come to the NW Coast. The coins of the newcomers were melted down, decorated with totemic symbols and turned into jewelry. Prior to that contact, the only metal used was copper which was known and used by the natives as a symbol of wealth and status and as a limited medium of exchange. The iron nails and cleats embedded in pilings and bits of shipwrecks washed ashore by incoming tides were used occasionally to form bracelets . Today, more design based on plants, ferns, berries, and flower forms are used in jewelry.

Basketry was practiced for thousands of years, supplying the cooking and storage needs as well as the headgear of the people. Materials readily available in this area were spruce root and cedar bark. Fiber art employed the fine quality goat hair and intricate Raven's Tail woven designs associated with the region and were fashioned into robes. Colors in fiber art used organic materials as dyes.

Flat totemic line designs were primarily used in creating drums from the skins of deer and goats; there was some use of decorated skins as ornamentation and also decoration of wood tools, furniture and utensils with flat totemic designs.

Viewing Opportunities for Totemic Art
The galleries and shops in town have fine totemic art available, For example, you will find large totem poles displayed at Sitka National Historical Park and a few single poles at locations around town. The wall screens or carved panels which are on the front and inside the community house on Katlian St. are outstanding examples done by well-known local artists. Under a shelter near Harrigan Centennial Hall is a fine carving of an authentic traditional Tlingit canoe, formed from one hollowed-out red cedar log. This craft, which could carry up to forty, was used for travel to distant villages as far south as northern California and as far north as the Gulf of Alaska for purposes of trade, feasting/celebration, to make war or to take slaves. The Sheldon Jackson Museum on the Sheldon Jackson College campus, has outstanding artifacts of both totemic people and the people of the Far North. Do check for the signature of the artist when purchasing; that is evidence that the item was made by an individual rather than in a workshop and that the artist is proud of the work.

Seeing the Artists at Work
Some of the galleries and Sheldon Jackson Museum will at times have local artists demonstrating their art. You can observe the artists at work, visit with them and ask questions. The Cultural Center at Sitka National Historical Park features some famous local artists working in their studios from Monday through Friday and you can observe, learn about the art forms and even arrange for commission purchases.

More Information on Totemic Art
Visit Old Harbor Books on Lincoln Street for an extensive collection of books on totemic art forms and techniques. Also, the book store at the Cultural Center in the Park is a good source of books.