Tlingit men and boy in traditional costumes standing in front of totem pole, Fort Tongass, Dec. 14, 1887

• Other Authors: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Totem poles > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit Indians > Spiritual life > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit Indians > Arts & crafts > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit Indians > Structures > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit Indians > Clothing & dress > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit Indians > Children > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Boys > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Wooden buildings > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Group portraits; Tlingit art > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Tlingit sculpture > Alaska > Fort Tongass; Fort Tongass (Alaska) > Buildings; structures; etc; Ketchikan; tlingit; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/alaskawcanada/id/621

Caption on image: Port Tongas, Alaska, Dec. 14, 1887 Filed in Native Alaska--F This totem pole may be Chief Ebbits Pole, a memorial pole to Chief Ebbits of the Ft. Tongass Tribe of the Tlingit Nation. The two top figures on the pole are bears, followed by a blue figure that is a mud shark, a figure of a wolf, and the bottom figure is another bear. These represent the clans he belonged to. The wolf figure is holding a copper shield called a "Tennah." Each shield represents that the person owning it owns at least 3,000 blankets or 20 slaves. This is a rare pole in that it is dated. There is also an upside-down figure. This represents a person who owed a debt to the chief and has not yet paid it off. The pole is currently located at the Saxman Native Totem Park in Ketchikan.