47 
Kispayaks. All the others had died through war and epidemics. As a 
result of this adoption, Ha’ku and his family became the owners of several 
of Wee’alerh's crests: People-in-the-copper-shield, Half-way-out, and pre- 
sumably also Man-cut-in-two (Stagyet).^ Wee’alerh was of the same 
family as Naeqt, the warrior, and his descendants Nseqt or Haray, of 
Kispayaks. The crests, therefore, must be those which Naeqt conquered 
or obtained at Kitamat, on the seacoast, during his raid^. Man-cut-in-two 
and Half-way-out undoubtedly refer to tlie Kitamat villager whom Naeqt 
stabbed and cut nearly in half, and who ran off into the water up to his 
waist. People-in-the-copper-shield was not previously mentioned, but 
it is quite likely that a copper shield ( hay sets ) with a human-like crest 
engraved on it was captured at the same coast village and is now thus 
reproduced among HaTu’s coat-of-arms. There were formerly four of 
these People-in-the-copper-shield standing inside Ha’ku’s house.® 
The Bear crest (Smaih) does not really belong to Ha’ku as a crest. 
It is introduced here as an exception to the rule; it is one of the crests of 
Kyscrhu (Escaped), a Wolf chief of Gitlarhdamks on the Nass, the father 
of Ha’ku, whom the pole commemorates; it stands for his signature, as 
he carved it. 
FUNCTION 
The tallest of these three poles, People-in-the-copper-shield, commem- 
orates a former Ha’ku. It has stood slightly over fifty years. 
The shortest (Frog-hanging-down) pole formerly served as a cere- 
monial entrance into Ha’ku’s house. It was erected in memory of “old 
Ha’ku,” when the second of that name took his place. It is one of the 
oldest in Kitwanga — presumably sixty or seventy years old."* 
The newest of these three poles, People-in-the-copper-shield, was 
erected about 1920, in memory of Kwawdzabarh, a leading member of 
this family. 
CARVERS 
The name of the carver of the oldest and shortest pole is not remem- 
bered. The carving — although of small dimensions — is one of the most 
interesting on the Skeena. Its technique — particularly the hollowed-out 
section between the Frog and the Man — indicates beyond doubt that it 
is the work of a Nass River carver, some of whose work is also to be seen 
at Angyedse. It is hollowed out at the back. 
The tallest of the three poles is a remarkable monument. It is char- 
acteristic of the work of the upper Nass artists. The figures are compact 
and well conceived and the carving is mature and firm. There is evidence 
of only very little paint having been used in its decoration. 
The newest pole, People-in-the-copper-shield, was carved by Harhpeg- 
wawtu (of the Fireweed phratry) of Gitsegyukla and completely decorated 
with commercial paint — the whole shaft, white; and the figures, pale blue; 
the eyes black, and the nostrils red. 
'According to Alfred Sinclair, the Man-cut-in-two was found in the lake, together with the Supernatural-frogs, 
p. 51. 
•According to Lselt (Salomon Harris). 
‘It was standing when Alfred Sinclair was a child. Sinclair died in 1924; he was less than 60 years of age. 
