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More Smithsonian Searches     Who else has...     St. Clair, Frank,     Ethnic -- Indian     Animal -- Bear     Animal -- Bird     Animal -- Bird     Animal -- Bird     Animal -- Insect     Occupation -- Other     Mythology     Totem pole     Outdoor Sculpture -- Alaska -- Juneau     Sculpture

Yax Te Totem Pole, (sculpture). Artist:  St. Clair, Frank, sculptor. Title:  Yax Te Totem Pole, (sculpture). Other Titles:  Auke Bay Totem, (sculpture). Barbecue Raven Pole, (sculpture). Dates:  1941. Digital Reference:  Medium:  Painted yellow cedar. Dimensions:  Approx. H. 60 ft. x Diam. 33 ft. Inscription:  unsigned Description:  A large bear representing Yax-te, the "big dipper" sits at the bottom of the pole. A dragonfly design on the bear's stomach represents the backbone and ribs of the Yax-te. Above Yax-te is a face of the princess of the first people who lived at Auk Village. She wears a traditional headdress. Above the princess is a Yey-ku-du-hits, which is a small bird with black eyes who, when he cries, tears come out. Above the Yey-ku-du-hits is a blue jay and above the blue jay is a robin. There are two dragonflies above the robin. A raven sits at the very top of the totem pole. Subject:  Ethnic -- Indian -- Auke Animal -- Bear Animal -- Bird -- Blue Jay Animal -- Bird -- Robin Animal -- Bird -- Raven Animal -- Insect -- Dragonfly Occupation -- Other -- Aristocrat Mythology Object Type:  Totem pole Outdoor Sculpture -- Alaska -- Juneau Sculpture Owner:  Administered by United States Forest Service, Southeast Region, 8465 Old Dawy Road, Juneau, Alaska Located Glacier Highway, 13 miles north of Juneau, Juneau, Alaska Remarks:  The pole is one of fifty-four duplicated under the Civilian Conservation Corps program between 1935 and 1942. Linn Forrest, Sr., a Forest Service architect, designed the pole based on Auk legends told to him, and Frank St. Clair carved it. The totem pole was made for the white people and bears no real meaning for the Tlingit (humorously designated by them with the name "Barbecue Raven"). The sculpture tells the story of the creation of the world and depicts Raven's helpers. On September 12, 1992 the pole was set on fire. Fire damage reached 10-12 feet up the pole, with the blackest charcoal covering the first 4-feet up from the base. The pole was repaired in 1991/1992 by Arnel Dalton and John Farvo. IAS files contain transcription on adjacent plaque and two articles from the Juneau Empire dated September 16, 1992 and October 11, 1992. IAS files also contain study entitled, "Cultural Resources Survey Along the Glacier Highway in the Auke Village Vicinity" by J. David McMahan dated October 1987, issued by the Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation, Office of History & Archaeology, Report no. 7. References:  Save Outdoor Sculpture, Alaska survey, 1994. Illustration:  Image on file. Note:  The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide. Repository:  Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Control Number:  IAS AK000051   Copy/Holding information Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum Control Number   Inventory of American Sculpture AK000051 Add Copy to MyList Format: HTMLPlain textDelimited Subject:   Email to:

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