The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (18160809515)

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo13amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



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366 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL
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Another column of the Kish-hash clan illustrates the story of the bear that lives in the moon and carries children away from the earth. At the base is repre- sented the great horned owl (gwute gwu nooks) a clan crest; above, three children, and finally the bear with its head through the full moon, which latter is also a crest of this family. Beyond and to the right is a very old and beautifully carved Kish-hash column representing two owls and several small human figures The emblem is displayed upon articles of ceremonial dress and festival parapher- nalia but more particularly and with greatest effect upon the heraldic columns or totem poles that charac- terize the villages of this people. These carved columns which form the most con- spicuous and attractive fea- ture of the old settlements differ materially from those of the coast tribes. They never form the entrance of the house as with the Haida, nor are they used as mor- tuary receptacles for the ashes of the dead. They are never placed within the house forming the supports for the roof beams as with the Tlingit and others, nor do they stand in contact with or alongside of the dwelling, but in every in- stance they form a quite regular line parallel with and the distance of a broad road- way in front of the houses. They are less massive than those of the coast, which is the natural consequence of the smaller tree growth of the interior, but while often slender they are very tall. Cedar is the wood generally used and much preferred from its fine grain, lightness and supposed durability. Some columns are elabo-