5 
ments of their kind, as, for instance: the White-owl pole of GitludahP 
and the pole of Naeqt,* both at Kispayaks; several of the best memorials 
at Gitwinlkul; and presumably a few of the first and most archaic poles 
erected at Kitwanga and Gitenmaks. The sway of the northern crafts- 
men, those of the Nass, at an early date, is more natural at Gitwinlkul 
than at Kispayaks. Gitwinlkul is on the main trail northwards and stands 
next to Gitlarhdamks, the uppermost Nisrae village, about 75 miles away. 
But Kispayaks is farther removed, and the ties of relationship with the 
northerners far looser. 
Besides, the fashion of erecting large wooden memorials on the Skeena 
is derivative. It spread from the Nass, its birthplace on the coast.® to 
the upper Skeena, during the various stages of its evolution. That is 
why some of the leading carvers of the north were invited to transplant 
their activities to remote parts still unprovided with native craftsmen. 
But the demand for foreigners was shortlived. Soon local talent developed 
under constant stimulus. The demand everywhere was imperious. The 
imitativeness and the inexperience of the new recruits of the art were at 
first only too evident. Their efforts were often primitive and crude. 
Yet their progress was rapid and striking, though, on the whole, they 
remained inferior to their contemporaries of the Nass or of Queen Charlotte 
islands to the west. A few of them, particularly the Gitwinlkul artists 
Haesem-hliyawn, Nees-laranows, and Hlamee, markedly excelled their 
compatriots. Their carvings are on a par with the best ever produced 
on the Nass; that is, they are nowhere surpassed in excellence. Hsesem- 
hliyawn and Nees-laranows lived as late as 1888, and Hlamee, their fol- 
lower, died after 1900. No less than twenty poles from their hands still 
stand in the three lower villages of the Skeena; seven are ascribed to 
Haesem-hliyawn, three to Nees-laranows, and ten to Hlamee. 
To Haesem-hliyawn, the outstanding figure in this school, goes the 
credit of carving some of the best poles in existence, for instance, the Whole- 
through (Wulnaqaq)^ of Haidzemerhs, and the Sitting-Grizzlies of Malee,® 
both at Gitwinlkul; the poles of Weerhae, at Gitwinlkul®; and the Mountain- 
lion pole of Arteeh’ at Kitwanga. His was a fine style, in the purely native 
vein. He combined a keen sense of realism with a fondness for decorative 
treatment. Tsimsyan art in his hands reached one of its highest pinnacles. 
It sought inspiration in nature, while maintaining itself within the frontiers 
of ancient stylistic technique. Haesem-hliyawn belonged to the generation 
wherein the totem pole art was still in its growth (1840-1880) and all at 
once reached its apogee. His handling of human figures counts among the 
outstanding achievements of West Coast art — indeed, of aboriginal art in 
any part of the world. The faces he carved, with their strong facial expres- 
sion and amusing contortions, are characteristic of the race. Many of 
them are sheer masterpieces. From a purely traditional source, his art 
passed into effective realism. His treatment of birds and spirit-monsters 
is not inferior to that of the human figure. On several of his best carvings, 
>Plate XIV, figure 5; Plate XVI, figure 1. 
spiate V, figure S; Plate VI, figure 1. 
*See Origin and evolution of the art of carving poles, p, 12, 
‘Plate XXn, figure 6. 
‘Plate XX, figure 2. 
•Plate XXV, figures 1,2,3. 
’Plate XXVII, figure 1. 
