A Totem Pole History: The Work of Lummi Carver Joe Hillaire

18 Bronson Story Pole

185 18 Bronson Story Pole, 1957 From the Archives of Pauline Hillaire The Bronson Story Pole was commissioned by the Richard Bronson family, Gig Harbor, Washington. Joe Hillaire completed it in 1957. It was restored by Larry Ahvakana and Ed Carriere at the Carriere Studio, Suquamish, Washington, and installed at Indianola Park, Port Madison/Suquamish Reservation in 1992. It was later installed on the Lummi Reservation. When Joe Hillaire delivered this story pole to the Bronson family, he gave them the following story, written in his own handwriting, along with a sketch of the pole showing the paint colors so that it could be maintained in the colors he intended. The current colors are not the same as the original ones. The mink is the bottom figure on this totem pole. It has been separated from the pole and is at a different location. Bronson Story Pole By Chief Joseph of the Lummi Tribe This pole is carved of Alaska Yellow Cedar. The Lummis called it pa-shelaqu . The two figures at the base of the pole is a story of the Bear and the Raven when they were people. 186 Pauline Hillaire The Bear was a very busy man. He made provision for the winters by having good food to keep himself fat and fit for his long sleep through the winter. The Raven was not like the Bear. He was neither a hunter nor fisherman. He liked to call upon people when they were preparing food for a meal. He would have jolly things to talk about until the meal was ready and the host would end up inviting him to eat with the household. One day the Raven called at the home of the Bear. The Bear said, “Here comes that glutton. I will tend to him and be rid of him quickly.” He greeted the Raven and the Raven said, “O! I smell the scent of dried salmon toasting by the fire. That is what chiefs like when they are gathered at the big potlatches. But what I like is toasted dried salmon dipped in good rich oil. That, I say, is good and pleasing to a big chief.” The Bear listened to all that the Raven said and in his heart he wanted to show the Raven that he, the Bear, could provide a dish fit for a big chief. When the Bear finished toasting the dried salmon, he placed a large 60. Bronson story pole detail: Eagle, 2011. Reprinted with permission. Photo by Melonie Ancheta. 61. Bronson story pole detail: Bear and Raven warming his hands, 2011. Reprinted with permission. Photo by Scott Jensen. 62. Bronson story pole detail: Mink in canoe being swallowed by Whale, 2011. Reprinted with permission. Photo by Scott Jensen. Bronson Story Pole 189 clamshell by the fire and he sang his Medicine Man’s song, as he held his front paws out like a man warming his hands. Soon the fat began to drip from his paws into the clamshell, and in a little while the shell was full, and the Bear offered it to the Raven. The Raven ate until he was so full he could hardly move. He said to the Bear, “My cousin, I like to eat well in the house of a man like you. We all enjoy feeding our guests the best we have. So you must come to my home someday.” The Bear listened to the boastful words of the Raven and he was glad when the Raven went away. Soon afterward the Bear called at the Raven’s home. The Raven sent his wife to the neighbor’s to borrow some dried fish so he could feed the Bear. The neighbors were tired of lending food to the Raven because he seldom returned the food he borrowed, but they pitied his wife so they gave dried fish. But it was not a fat one. When she got home Raven told her to hurry and prepare a meal for the Bear. She did and when she finished toasting the dried fish, it was burned in places and lacked the natural oil that comes from fat salmon. The Bear sat quietly while the Raven scolded his wife, hurrying her with the work. Raven wanted to prove himself an equal to the Bear, so when the fish was toasted he placed...