File consists of materials collected for use in the introduction of Hilary Stewart's book, "Looking at Totem Poles," including correspondence about the intro, multiple drafts of the intro, writing notes, and interviews with Norman Tait regarding totem poles and other books on the topic.
Item consists of a recorded interview with Robert "Chip" Tait about the figures on a totem pole, the meaning behind them, and the work of carving them.
This file consists of materials relating to the Tait family's artistic works, including carvings, totem poles, button blankets, exhibitions, and images of works in progress. These images were originally contained within the same photo album. An item-level description provided by Vickie upon accession:
The first sleeve with six prints I took when Norman, his brother "Chip" and daughter Valerie did a presentation of a canoe project to representatives from the Field Museum (maybe?) came to MOA to meet with him. Evidently there must have been some funding promised because they started to rough out the log and Ronnie Tessler photographed that. Her photos of that are in the MOA archives, I think. And then something happened with the log: either they discovered it was badly cracked or had rot but the became apparent that huge log couldn't be used. And after that, the project never went forward.
One sleeve of Norman Tait in regalia after completion of the PNE demonstration carving. A great group of Nisga'a dancers were on hand to honour the pole. There are more colour photos than are here, but I don't know where they are.
Norman Tait, Valerie Tait (doing a button blanket), Valerie's son Chris (Kris ?) (carving a mask) and Ron Telek (doing several large poster drawings) were part of an "in process" exhibition but I can't remember where it was held, a busy place downtown in Vancouver possibly. Mercy Robinson Thomas is writing in one photo.
5 sleeves of the ceremonies that Cap Mall put on for the anniversary (which one?) of the raising of the Capilano Mall poles in North Vancouver. Many others agree that these poles are some of Norman's best and most creative. One the third sleeve, Norman's nephew (Hope/Grace's son) Ed, is being recognized by Mercy Robinson Thomas who is the Wolf Clan Chieftainess. It could be that he was receiving a name and then danced. Valerie Tait is also in white buckskin and she is shown putting a contribution in the beaver bowl on the floor, as others then do. There's a large family grouping, Valerie with a baby (?) and Norman Tait with Reva Robinson Malkin.
1st sleeve of b&w photos: Norman Tait's "old woman with labret" mask
Verso: Norman's Mischievous Man button blanket (that went missing)
2nd sleeve: Norman showing his young carving crew some of the poles in the Great Hall that were his "teachers"
Verso: Isaac Tait working on the Native Education Center's doorway pole. He's finishing off the "cedar bark" that frames the doorway; one of the carver's portrait masks in holding on. There were four such portraits around the doorway.
3rd sleeve: the Native Ed pole nearing completion
Mounted on hardboard photo of Chip showing Isaac portions of Norman's sketch of the Native Ed pole
Harry "Hammy" Martin beginning deep cuts with a small chainsaw
Mounted version of Native Ed pole near completion
Letter to Andrea Laforet, CMC, regarding photos I took of Tsimshian/Nisgaa/NWC artifacts in the Copenhagen Museum in 1986 while we were on sabbatical. Also 3 pages of b&w 5x7 prints of the most interesting items, and listing of all NWC artifacts of interest.
Page of recent (2021) notes from Alver Tait about finding his daughter and photos from that reunion with her children. As a child she had been told her father was dead; only re-discovered in 2009
Item is a b&w negative of a photograph of people after log has been moved into the old UBC carving shed. 1st 3 rows of photos shows people after log has been moved into the old UBC carving shed. The textual info is in WHERE THE PEOPLE GATHER or paperback TOTEM POLE CARVING p. 40-41.) Text info for last 9 images is from pp. 42-45.
Notes: • Norman told me that “they” had to pay for moving the log to UBC’s carving shed (i.e. it came out of his contract monies). After the Item is a b&w negative of a photograph of people after log has been moved into the old UBC carving shed. Three photos of button blanket are possibly one that Dorothy Grant was making—three images that follow may be her and Doreen Jensen (Gitxsan carver) on the right. I don’t remember who they are talking to.
Geographic Location: all photos at area around the old UBC Carving Shed
