81 
course of their migrations down the Nass, to the adjacent seacoast. It 
was only recently acquired by Gurhsan from the family of Gwunarhnuh, 
of the village of Gitwinksilk on the Nass, this family now being practically 
extinct. 
The origin of the Owl emblem is more recent. Its use is restricted 
to a few families of the upper Skeena, those of Gurhsan, of the Wawsem- 
larhse group of Kispayaks and Hazelton, and of Weegyet of Anlarasemdaerh. 
It is stated in Gurhsan’s own account, that the Owl was engraved or carved 
on his ancestors’ house-posts at Temlaham. According to the more 
explicit narrative of Nurhs, of Kispayaks, it was first adopted by the related 
families of Wawsemlarhae, Nurhs, and Hatisran, at Larhsendzihl, a fishing 
village of the Kispayaks tribe. A child, taken away by a mythic w ite 
Owl to its nest, and fed like the offspring of the bird, was finally recovered 
by his parents, with the help of the Grouse — also a family crest. The 
Owl was killed and his plumage adopted as a symbol of the event. The 
child retained throughout life, besides, some of the characteristics acquired 
while under the Owl’s tutelage. 
FUNCTIONS 
The Pole of the Moon was erected over thirty years ago, in memory 
of three deceased members of the family, Tsa-ols, Menrimran, and Wudah- 
laks, by Gurhsan assisted by a female relative who then succeeded to the 
title of Tsa-ols. 
The Owl pole stands in commemoration of the same Tsa-ols, and 
was put up after her death, about twelve years ago (1913?), by the present 
Gurhsan with the help of his family. 
CARVERS 
The first was carved by Jim Larahnitz (Hlengwah), now the aged 
head-chief of the Larhsail families in Kitwanga. The reason that prob- 
ably determined his choice was that he had married Tsa-ols, a member 
of Gurhsan’s family. The few poles in Gitsegyukla and Kitwanga — about 
half a dozen in all — that are ascribed to Larahnitz do not rank him among 
the best carvers of the Skeena; some of his recent work, indeed, is of the 
crudest — partly on account of old age. Yet, he showed in this pole that 
he had fully mastered the traditional technique of his art; and his interest- 
ing interpretation of the Skawah myth is the more valuable since it is the 
only one of its kind that has come under our observation. 
The pole representing four Owls was more recently carved by Arthur 
Wilson (Qaqhl), of Gitwinlkul, who belongs to the Larhsail phratry. 
(20) Poles of Hanamuk, at Gitsegyukla 
OWNERS 
Hanamuk’s family traces back its origin to Temlaham, and also forms 
part of the Sky clan of the Fireweed phratry. It is, therefore, fairly closely 
related to the households of Gurhsan, Gitludahl, Wawsemlarhae, and others 
of the same group, particularly among the Gitksan. They share in common 
the Temlaham traditions and most typical crests. 
