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This file consists of photos of and correspondence with the Tait family and their connection with Vickie Jensen, including work on Where the People Gather: Carving a Totem Pole (1992). These images were originally contained within the same photo album. An item-level description provided by Vickie upon accession:

• 1 page of b&w contact sheet (and negatives) from book launch for Where the People Gather held at MOA (Nov. 1995)
• 3 pages of colour photos of book launch for Where the People Gather held at MOA (Nov. 1995). Photos 1 & 2 show Norman speaking with Harry "Hammy" Martin on left, Isaac
  Tait, Vickie Jensen. #3 & 4 show Vickie speaking. #5 is Norman, Cheryl Higgs (Norman's partner at the time) and his mother Sadie Tait. Last photo on 1st sleeve is crowd clapping and Harry Martin, Isaac Tait, and Vickie Jensen. 2nd sleeve: photos 1 shows Vickie giving the carvers adzes from Africa. #2 shows Sadie Tait and son Robert "Chip" Tait. #3 shows Cheryl Higgs, Sadie & Chip Tait. Photos 4 & 5 shows Norman Tait dressed in Vickie's clothes doing the "Photographer's Dance" wearing photographer's mask that he and crew carved
  in 45 minutes. Bud Mintz (brown shirt, rust jacket) and Bill MacLennon (blue shirt) are visible in background (Vickie has this mask). Photo 6 shows Vickie talking with unknown couple. 3rd sleeve shows book launch at the Legacy gallery in Seattle. Photo #1 is Samish tribal chairman Kenny Hansen (seated), Mardonna McKillop, U Wash publisher (?), Vickie, Norman and Cheryl Higgs in the background. #2 is publisher (?) talking with Vickie and Norman in the Legacy gallery. #3 is Sue Battin and Bruce Jackson, Paul Miller, Ken Hansen (seated) and Vickie. #4 is dinner with Norman, Cheryl Higgs, Mardonna McKillop, John McKillop (standing), unknown woman, and Harry "Hammy" Martin (crew).
• 1 sleeve of Vickie's colour photos (negs missing) showing some photos taken at (1995?) opening of Wilp's Tsa-ak Gallery in West Vancouver with Norman and Lucinda Turner
• 4 sleeves of photos and 1 sleeve of negs (date unknown) of Lucinda Turner and Norman Tait (1st two sleeves + unknown model at fashion show, possibly wearing an Isaac Tait design); 3d & 4th sleeve is Isaac Tait and wife Deborah Lamal with giant moon mask.
• 1 sleeve of 2014 photos of Norman getting alder wood on a trip arranged by former carving student Kevin Berry (tall man in last photo) (also thank you letter from Kevin and his dream of Norman and Chip)
• 1 sleeve of some of the 2014 photos of Norman and youngest son Micah visiting MOA (MOA has a copy of these digital photos): 1 photo is two archivists, Karen Duffek, Micah and Norman (both seated) last photo is security guard at MOA (Tsak?) who knew Norman's family (particularly adoptive son Jimmy Tait) when they lived in Rupert
• Personal letter to Vickie and Jay (from Reva Robinson and sketch of eagle from Norman) when we were on sabbatical in France (1986). Letter wonderfully describes how both Reva and Noman enjoy humour and where they find it--some in the work Reva and Norman were doing at prisons-this one about the Mission Institution. Also talking about being asked to welcome an Indonesian group arriving in a traditionally carved Phinisi and the humour in that.
• Postcard Norman sent from Chicago (Oct. 1985) when he and Reva were traveling to look at Nisga'a materials
• Nov. 13/85 letter regarding being back from the trip and 1% payment for money owed (I don't remember the loan) for photography I did for Norman.
• 2nd to last page has photos of Norman, shortly before his death in Vancouver, when his son Micah was visiting, also daughter Valerie and her son Chris. Last two photos were at the funeral. Photo with most people has Mercy Robinson Thomas (Wolf clan chieftainess) and unknown woman. Various Nisga' a villages would come and sing, in turn, around the casket.
• Last page has photos from the Funeral feast in Prince Rupertof Grace ("Hope") Allen Tait with Norman's youngest son Micah. Also photos of Micah and his wife with Chip (Norman's youngest brother) and Edna Tait and another with Norman's daughter Valerie and her son Chris. One photo includes Vickie. Earlier photos of Norman doing a carving demonstration that Vickie handed out at the funeral.
• Email from Chips wife, Edna Tait, explaining feast protocol for those of us attending Normans feast. Also funeral info for Robert (Chip) Tait.

File consists of notes on topics to discuss and ideas for Jensen's book (Finding a Voice: The Art of Norman Tait): questions for Norman Tait, description of the book, pamphlets from a gallery display, research on composition of Canadian pennies, contact information of sources, printouts of writing grant details, description of Vancouver Nisga'a Urban Local, several images of pole raising, and several interviews with Norman Tait.

Series documents Nisga’a artist Norman Tait and his crew of carvers during a period in which they were prolific in their creation of totem poles.

Jensen first met Tait in the early 1970s when she would photographic artists’ works for Bud Mintz, Vancouver gallery owner. In 1985 she had the idea to produce a book documenting the carving of a totem pole from start to finish. She approached Tait, who initially refused but called Jensen back just a few days later to take her up on the offer, after being commissioned to create a pole for the Native Education Centre in Vancouver.

Jensen photographed Tait and his crew, which consisted of his brother Robert (Chip), his cousin Harry Martin (Hammy), his nephew Wayne Young and his eldest son Isaac (Ikey). She also made notes and audio recordings of Tait’s lessons to his crew, most of whom had never worked on such a large project. The photographs and tapes were used in the creation of the book Where the People Gather: Carving a Totem Pole. The project also led to the publication of a children’s version, Carving a Totem Pole and a paperback version titled Totem Pole Carving. The books were published in the early 1990s.

Jensen documented Tait’s next two major commissions: two poles for Capilano Mall in 1986, and a pole for Stanley Park in 1987.

In 1987 Tait adopted Jensen into the Nisga’a Eagle Clan and began to teach her about the responsibilities that came with the honour. The lessons were put into practice in 2001 when Tait asked Vickie to guard the body of a family member that had died.

The series includes photographic records of the creation of the four poles; audio recordings of lessons and interviews with Tait; transcripts of the audio tapes; and notes. The series consists of five sub-series:

A. Native Education Centre (NEC) pole photographs
B. Capilano Mall and Stanley Park poles photographs
C. Misc. photographs
D. Tait family and crew artists’ photographs
E. Audio tapes and transcripts.