Downtown Juneau in Juneau Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

The Governor's Totem Pole

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021

1. The Governor's Totem Pole Marker

Inscription.

The Governor's Totem Pole. .
Carved by Tlingit carvers: Charlic Tagook , Klukwan William Brown , Saxman Carving began in 1939 / Carving was completed in 1940. Featured on this totem pole, from top to bottom, are Raven, a man, a giant cannibal (Guteel), mosquito, the world, and an old woman. The Governor's Totem Pole tells the story of Raven stealing the moon, stars, and sun from Chief Naas shagi y'ei., One day, Raven learned that Chief Nass shagi y'ei had a daughter who possessed the moon, stars, and sun, each in its own carved cedar box. Raven flew up to the top of a tree near the Chief's house and turned himself into a hemlock needle. Raven fell into the Chief's daughter's cup, and when she filled it with water, she drank the needle. Inside the Chief's daughter, Raven turned into a baby boy; and the Chief loved him., The Chief's grandson (Raven) wanted to play with the cedar boxes and would not stop crying until they were given to him. He opened the first two boxes and threw the stars and moon out through the chimney hole and across the sky, where they could be seen. The child cried and whined until the Chief relented and gave him his most prized possession, the third cedar box that held the sun. Suddenly, the grandson changed back into his original form, Raven, and started to fly up the chimney; trying to stop him, the Chief threw pitch on the fire to make a thick, black smoke which turned Raven black., After Raven escaped, he threw the sun into the sky. Having never seen the sun before, the frightened beings that were wearing the fur of land animals fled into the forests, and the beings that were wearing the fur of sea animals fled to the sea, where they have remained ever since., Below the figure of Raven, the man is a short version of man's creation by Raven. When Raven was lonely, he grabbed a piece of driftwood and said, "Come on, stand up and help me," and so Man was created., The fourth figure on the totem pole is Guteel, the giant cannibal. Many years ago, it was common for hunters to not return from hunting in the forest, and the people blamed Guteel for the hunters' demise. To capture Guteel, the people dug a hole, placed sharp stakes at the bottom, and covered the hole with a net of cedar bark rope. The net collapsed under his weight, and once he was trapped in the pit, the men piled logs on top of him and started a fire. Right before he died, Guteel warned the people, "Even though you kill me, I'll continue to bite you", and after he died, his ashes turned into Mosquitoes, which continue to bite people to this day., The old woman is said to hold up the world and control the tides. Raven was very hungry, and he asked the old woman to lower the tides so he could get food. She refused. Instead, the old woman let the tide rise and fall twice a day, and they have done so ever since.

Carved by Tlingit carvers:
Charlic Tagook — Klukwan
William Brown — Saxman
Carving began in 1939 / Carving was completed in 1940
Featured on this totem pole, from top to bottom, are Raven, a man, a giant cannibal (Guteel), mosquito, the world, and an old woman. The Governor's Totem Pole tells the story of Raven stealing the moon, stars, and sun from Chief Naas shagi y'ei.

One day, Raven learned that Chief Nass shagi y'ei had a daughter who possessed the moon, stars, and sun, each in its own carved cedar box. Raven flew up to the top of a tree near the Chief's house and turned himself into a hemlock needle. Raven fell into the Chief's daughter's cup, and when she filled it with water, she drank the needle. Inside the Chief's daughter, Raven turned into a baby boy; and the Chief loved him.

The Chief's grandson (Raven) wanted to play with the cedar boxes and would not stop crying until they were given to him. He opened the first two boxes and threw the stars and moon out through the chimney hole and across the sky, where they could be seen. The child cried and whined until the Chief relented and gave him his most prized possession, the third cedar box that held the sun. Suddenly, the grandson changed back into his original form, Raven, and started to fly up the chimney;

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trying to stop him, the Chief threw pitch on the fire to make a thick, black smoke which turned Raven black.

After Raven escaped, he threw the sun into the sky. Having never seen the sun before, the frightened beings that were wearing the fur of land animals fled into the forests, and the beings that were wearing the fur of sea animals fled to the sea, where they have remained ever since.

Below the figure of Raven, the man is a short version of man's creation by Raven. When Raven was lonely, he grabbed a piece of driftwood and said, "Come on, stand up and help me," and so Man was created.

The fourth figure on the totem pole is Guteel, the giant cannibal. Many years ago, it was common for hunters to not return from hunting in the forest, and the people blamed Guteel for the hunters' demise. To capture Guteel, the people dug a hole, placed sharp stakes at the bottom, and covered the hole with a net of cedar bark rope. The net collapsed under his weight, and once he was trapped in the pit, the men piled logs on top of him and started a fire. Right before he died, Guteel warned the people, "Even though you kill me, I'll continue to bite you", and after he died, his ashes turned into Mosquitoes, which continue to bite people to this day.

The old woman is said to hold up the world and control the tides. Raven was very hungry, and he asked the old woman

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021

2. The Governor's Totem Pole Marker

to lower the tides so he could get food. She refused. Instead, the old woman let the tide rise and fall twice a day, and they have done so ever since.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1940.

Location. 58° 18.159′ N, 134° 24.881′ W. Marker is in Juneau, Alaska, in Juneau Borough. It is in Downtown Juneau. Marker is at the intersection of Calhoun Avenue and Indian, on the left when traveling north on Calhoun Avenue. Marker and totem pole are next to the mansion's east portico. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 716 Calhoun Avenue, Juneau AK 99801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Alaska Governor's Mansion (a few steps from this marker); Alaska Native Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Calhoun Ave. Overpass (about 600 feet away); Harvesting of the Atom (about 700 feet away); 4-Story Totem (approx. 0.2 miles away); Liberty Bell Reproduction (approx. 0.2 miles away); William Henry Seward (approx. 0.2 miles away); Seward & Alaska (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Juneau.

Also see . . . FDR’s New Deal helped preserve Alaska Native art, like these three totem poles in Juneau

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. Article by Ben Hohenstatt in the Juneau Empire, posted June 20, 2019. The Governor's totem pole was created under a New Deal program. (Submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 304 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.