Van Dusen Totem Poles N 49 14.319' W 123 07.777'
Two poles at the entrance of the Van Dusen Gardens.
The first pole is labeled 'Al of The Gispudwada'. I believe the 'Al' is the word for Black Bear and refers to the Black Bear Crest of the Killerwhale Tribe. This pole was carved by Arthur Sterrit, A Giksan from the Upper Skeena River Area of BC. It incorporates the following figures: Human Form at Top - Man who went into mountains to hunt goat and was captured by a Black Bear and assumed the Bear Form. The Human Head in top figures's stomach - friendly villager who took the bear man in and helped him when no one else would. Bear Figure at Bottom - represents bear man before being turned back into human form. Human head in Bear Stomach - indicates that Bear figure is Bear man. The second pole is labeled "The Mosquito People" attributed to the Gitksan tribe and carved by Earl & Brian Muldoe of 'Ksan. The totem pole was raised to commemorate the Vancouver Centennial.
