Canada Travel Photo Gallery

Victoria Thunderbird Park

The Thunderbird Park is situated by the Royal British Columbia Museum. The small park contains a collection of representative Totem Poles of the North West coast Canada’s. Most Totem Poles are replicas from the time of the first contact between the colonists and the First Nations (as the Indians are called today).

The Mungo Martin House "Wawadit'la" is a replication of a long house as they were built in the 18th century around the area of Fort Rubert. The Mungo Martin House is not open to the public. The house is used by the First Nations for ceremonial gatherings. The Totem Pole in front of the long house was created in 1953. The "Kwakwaka'wakw Heraldic Pole" is dedicated to the Kwakwaka'wakw Nations.

On the left is the replication of the Gitxsan Totem Pole created in 1954. The genuine Gitxsan Totem Pole was built around 1900 in the village of Gitsegukla in the upper region of the Skeena River. On the right is the "Kwakwaka'wakw Heraldic Pole" built in 1953. In the background is the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel of Victoria.

Totem Poles replicated by the famous chief Mungo Martin (about 1881 - 1962) of the Kwakiutl Nations. Mungo Martin arrived in Victoria in 1952 to support the First Nations Program by the Royal British Columbia Museum. He replicated Totem Poles of the North West Indians for the Thunderbird Park and the Museum Anthropology of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. After his death his descendants continued his work.

A huge beaver head with dominant incisors decorates the Haida Totem Pole from 1955. The heads of the figures are mostly over exaggerated to use the whole width of a Pole.

This Gitxsan Totem Pole from 1960 is a replica of a very old Totem Pole from the Kitwancool village.

Replication of a Totem Pole from 1850 of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations. The pole was reproduced by Mungo Martin in 1954.