“Oh, there’s even paint on it already!” I was just as surprised as many of our visitors when Uncle Harold pressed a paintbrush and some paint into my hand and explained which part of the thunderbird I should paint and in which colour. After all, the totem pole isn’t even finished being carved yet!
But then Uncle Harold explained that it was customary for the two carvers to paint the finished sections straight away. “And why is that?” I asked him. He said that the paint gave them an impression of the finished totem pole and thus allowed them to better recognise the character of the totem pole.
Traditionally, the Cowichan people mainly use the colours red, black and white. In the past, when there were no acrylic paints or similar materials, these colours were produced from different coloured clays mixed with, for example, red berries or black ash and bear fat.
On the Cologne totem pole, however, yellow and green can now be seen alongside red and black. These colours also later became part of the Cowichan tribes’ traditional palette. Just like the animals depicted, the colours hold specific meanings for the Cowichans.
Red symbolises the day, whilst black symbolises the night, as well as protection and strength. Green represents Mother Earth and is mainly used for the animals’ eyes. Yellow is found primarily on the beaks of eagles and thunderbirds, signifying their role as mediators between heaven and earth.
Text: Claudia Brandt
Photos: (c) Sami Fayed