Cigar Store Indians and Trade Figures

I can't pass by such without stopping and admiring. A true antique might stop me in my tracks for quite a while. I like to examine the tool marks. Had I the room and not the added cost of getting them to Alaska I would have a collection.

Every town of any size has at least one. Usually located in front of the tourism center. Totems are mostly found in the "Panhandle" or Southeast Alaska. This is where they are truly indigenous. If I remember correctly the totem can represent clan history, myth, familial ties and the like. Each one tells a story.
They are still hand carved and are still being made in NW North America by the various clans. The cigar store Indian is an artifact. The totem is a story board, still very much used and revered.

I don't think so. But, I'll make an effort to get a shot or two and send them along when I get the chance. Might be a while but, I can do that!

Some truly amazing cigar store Indians here,

thanks for the pictures.
In 1998 I went to Ketchikan Alaska to work at a salmon cannery, I was supposed to be a forklift driver but they put me in the egg house (much better than the slime line!), it was the most hours I've ever worked in my entire life, I volunteered for the clean-up crew and got an extra hour and a half every night too, 7 days a week, I can't remember offhand my record for number of hours in one week, but it was a lot, still have my punch in timeclock papers somewhere...
...anyways,

on a couple of occasions I decided to skip lunch and go to the museum instead, it was only a short walk,

http://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/departments/museums/totem.html

It's a wonderful museum with some ancient totem poles.
I was looking at t-shirts in the gift shop because I love Haida art and plus wanted to get souvenirs for friends and family - after a few minutes the cashier bashfully walks up to me (she was a native woman) and says "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave, there was a complaint from other customers about the smell." - Yikes! I had totally gotten used to the lovely aroma of salmon eggs! LOL It is a pretty pungent smell. There were only a couple of other people in the giftshop so it was obvious who complained, so I grabbed a couple of t-shirts, said okay I'll leave but let me get these please. At the register she continued apologizing and said, under her breath, "that is the smell of money" and talked about how many of her family members had worked at the canneries at some point or another.
I'll never forget that strange experience.
Toward the end of my stay there I did the 8.8 mile ride on my skateboard down to see the Totem Bight State Historical Park,

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totembgh.htm

and it was amazing as well.

There was actually a carver there working on a totem pole inside a barn-looking house, I approached him and asked if I could watch, he said okay, I tried to get a convo going but nothing developed, I felt like I was invading his space so I left him alone, it was very cool though, just to walk up on a scene like that.
Also before I left, I took a floatplane over to Metlakatla and walked around there for a full day.

This blog has some great photos, makes me want to return!

http://prangedeplume.blogspot.com/2013/07/totem-poles-and-traditional-arts.html
This picture is of a pole raising on Metlakatla:

(I didn't take it, found it online)


I was amazed at how well some of the old pigments had held up over the years.

For the color orange they used salmon eggs mixed with saliva,

I still have a couple of my old shirts with the orangey stains, that stuff won't come out!
There was a brief tangent in the thread below talking about Scottish Highlander tobacconist figures,

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ye-olde-tobacconist-shoppe-the-way-things-once-were-image-heavy/page/2#post-684443
:
I like the old b&w pictures from bygone days...

Johnnyreb- those are some great pictures. Do you know where that first picture is from? Would love to see that display in person.
Great stuff as always MLC! I have some friends that worked the canneries back in the early 90's, they made some good money but like you say- long hours.

Thanks for the post.

... they made some good money but like you say- long hours.

Click to expand...

Yeah, it was actually great fun for me, although I declined to sign a contract to go back the following season, once was enough for me!
A boat captain actually approached me once and asked if I wanted to crew up with him, it was obvious he was desperate and I told him "If'n yer askin' a clueless greenhorn like me, then I know you ain't got much sense!" - really that was my inner dialogue, he promised vast riches in high percentage, but I must admit I was afraid to go out on a boat and had images of myself falling overboard into the icy clutches of no more tomorrows - I've always wondered what would've happened if I had took him up on it, no regrets though LOL
Met some great people and had some very good times.
Stayed a week in Seattle after the gig was up, walked around everywhere, I have to say that Seattle is the most pedestrian friendly city I've ever been in.
Rode the Amtrack train back home to Atlanta, it was a wonderful ride.

Here's a fellow outside The Pipe Den in Vero Beach. another perspective

Great pictures Johnny,enjoyed everyone.

That blog is really spectacular. I have to get up to Alaska sometime. I still wouldn't rule out relocating there if a medical x ray job came up.

Johnny, great pics. Thanks for sharing.
As a carver I can tell you that carving the native American Indian takes a bit of practice. There is so much spirit, and strength in their faces...And it's that character that makes them difficult subjects.

Great pictures!

When I was in Sitka a few years ago, they had a nice totem. I'll look for the picture.