'Ksan

We have been camped for the past several days at 'Ksan, a campground where the Skeena and Bulkley rivers meet and the home of the Gitxan tribe. Yesterday, we toured Kispiox where about 12 totem poles have been placed and learned about the meaning of the totems and the stories and history behind them. Some of them are nearly 200 years old and can take a year or two to carve. The carver is commissioned by the family, and a red cedar tree is chosen. When complete, a feast is held to erect the pole and honor and pay the carver.
We also visited the museum on the grounds where we are camped. There are several longhouses there, and each of them represent the homes of the 4 different clans, or houses, that make up the Gitxan tribe that live here. It's a matriarchal society, and you would belong to the tribe of your mother...frog, wolf, fern or bear. The houses are filled with items that would have been used by the people who lived here.
After our "potlatch" supper last night where everyone brought a dish, we attended a special presentation of Native dances put on by people of the tribe, complete with costumes. It was wonderful. Our tour guide (Spike) explained to us that he has only seen it 5 times in the 19 years he has been leading the caravan, so it was a treat.
We have completely enjoyed our stay here at 'Ksan, but today is a travel day...we are headed to Hyder, Alaska.
If you want to follow us more closely in pictures, you can go to Spike's website where he is posting photos as we go along. Look closely....you might spot us in some of them! The website is www.AlaskaRv.net. Go to the pictures for 2103 tours, and we are on Tour Two.

Spike explains the meaning and histories of the Totems at Kispiox.

One of the older poles

The newest pole erected last week. You can clearly see the frogs represented here.

'Ksan museum longhouses and Totems

Totem pole at 'Ksan

Entrance to the Wolf House

Native dancers who performed for us in the Wolf House