Totem Poles In Downtown Duncan

In 1985 the City of Duncan began the City of Totems project as a way of attracting visitors to Duncan.

The project involved the commissioning and acquisition of totem poles for display on downtown streets and other selected locations outside the downtown core.

Canada Avenue totem pole display. Left to right: The Feast, Raven's Gift, Pole of Wealth and Transformation
Canada Avenue totem pole display. Left to right: The Feast, Raven’s Gift, Pole of Wealth and Transformation

Here’s a link to a City Of Duncan map of the downtown Duncan totem poles (Note PDF) and a City of Duncan link explaining the City of Totems program (Note-PDF)

We have included a Suggested Walking Tour of Downtown Duncan Totem Poles and a separate page with a digital map of the display locations of the City of Duncan totem pole collection.

Here is our digital map of Duncan’s totem pole display locations:

Here’s a list of the Duncan’s downtown totem poles, by street (note: streets listed alphabetically):

Canada Avenue

  1. Centennial Pole (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street. Carver: Calvin Hunt)
  2. Friendship Pole (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street. Carver: Cicero August)
  3. Kwagu’l Bear Holding A Seal (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street. Carver: Richard Hunt)
  4. Owl Pole (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)
  5. Transformation In Life (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street. Carvers: Harvey Alphonse and Nelson Canute)
  6. Raven Stealing The Sun (Canada Avenue at Station Street. Carver: Donald Smith)
  7. Pole of Wealth (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Station Street and E&N Railway Station. Carver:  Simon Charlie)
  8. Raven’s Gift (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Kenneth Street and the E&N Railway Station. Carver: Corky Baines)
  9. Transformation (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Kenneth Street and the E&N Railway Station. Carver: Corky Baines)
  10. The Feast (Canada Avenue in Charles Hoey Park, near Kenneth Street and the E&N Railway Station. Carver: Doug LaFortune)
  11. Eagle Pole (Lois Lane, just off Canada Avenue. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)

Craig Street

  1. Thunderbird and Dzunuk’wa (Craig Street at Station Street. Carver: Ned Matilpi)
  2. Scudder Pole (Craig Street at Station Street. Carver: Lenard Paquette Jackson)
  3. Mother and Child (Craig Street, near Duncan City Hall, between Kenneth Street and Ingram Street)

Government Street

  1. Eagle Raven Bear (Government Street at Station Street)
  2. Cedar Man Walking Out of the Log (Government Street between Station Street and Jubilee Street. Carver: Richard Hunt)
  3. Gwa’yasdams Flood Story (Government Street, between Station Street and Jubilee Street. Carver: Basil James)
  4. Sea and Sky (Government Street between Station Street and Jubilee Street. Carver: Harold Alfred)
  5. Peaceful Boundaries (Government Street between Station Street and Jubilee Street, outside the Provincial Courthouse. Carver: Norman John )
  6. Cedar Woman and Man (Government Street at E.J. Hughes Place. Carver: Simon Charlie)
  7. Chief’s Pole (Government Street at Kenneth Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)
  8. The Guardians (Government Street at Kenneth Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)
  9. Dzunuk’wa (Government Street at Kenneth Street. Carver: Oscar Matilpi)

Kenneth Street

  1. PouPou Tane Hiira, Pou Karanga (Kenneth Street between Canada Avenue and Craig Street. Carver:  Tupari TeWhata)
  2. The Tzinquaw Story (Kenneth Street between Craig Street and Jubilee Street. Carvers:  Harvey Alphonse and Kelly Antoine)
  3. The Family (Kenneth Street at Jubilee Street. Carver: Francis Horne,Sr.)
  4. Chief’s Pole (Kenneth Street at Government Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)
  5. The Guardians (Kenneth Street at Government Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)
  6. Dzunuk’wa (Kenneth Street at Government Street. Carver: Oscar Matilpi)

Jubilee Street

  1. The Family (Jubilee Street at Kenneth Street. Carver: Francis Horne, Sr.)

Station Street

  1. Raven Stealing The Sun (Station Street at Canada Avenue. Carver:  Donald Smith)
  2. Bringing Light To The World (outside 22 Station Street, between Canada Avenue and Craig Street. Carver: Richard Krentz)
  3. Transition (outside 47 Station Street, between Canada Avenue and Craig Street. Carver: David Marston)
  4. Wind Spirit (outside 48 Station Street, between Canada Avenue and Craig Street. Carver: Doug LaFortune)
  5. Thunderbird With Dzunuk’wa (Station Street at Craig Street. Carver: Ned Matilpi)
  6. Scudder Pole (Station Street at Craig Street. Carver: Lenard Paquette Jackson)
  7. Harvest Time (Station Street at Craig Street. Carver: Tom LaFortune)
  8. Air and the Land (Station Street, between Craig Street and Government Street. Carver: Harold Joe)
  9. Owl Spirit (Station Street, between Craig Street and Government Street. Carver: Tom LaFortune)
  10. Abolishment Pole (Station Street, near Government Street. Carver: Don Smith)

Also see Totem Poles Outside Downtown Duncan and City of Totems for more information on the City of Duncan totem pole collection.

Here (again) is our digital map of Duncan totem pole display locations:

 

Owl Spirit totem pole, Chief figure, face detail. Station Street, Duncan, B.C.
Owl Spirit totem pole, Chief figure, face detail. Station Street, Duncan, B.C.

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