O-2080

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totem pole

Totem Pole

Haida artist Rufus Moody created this scale-model totem pole in 1962. It is made of argillite, a sedimentary rock that lends itself well to carving. Prized for its consistently dark colouration, argillite comes from a single quarry on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) in British Columbia. Argillite model totem poles have been produced exclusively by Haida artists since at least the mid-1800s, when they became popular with European collectors. This carving with abalone (shell) inlay stands over a metre tall and depicts at least eight different creatures, including a large frog at its base and an eagle at its peak.

Rufus Moody

Rufus Moody was born in 1923, in Skidegate on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) in British Columbia. His father and grandfather were renowned Haida carvers of argillite and Moody’s work reflects the distinctive style developed by his family. Moody created the world’s largest argillite totem pole, which stands six feet tall and is housed at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.

Argillite carving is an art form unique to the Haida, who began innovating with the material in the early 1800s. Initially a response to economic opportunities represented by the arrival of European collectors, it gathered momentum among Haida artists in the latter half of the 19th century. During his lifetime, Moody played a key role in sustaining the practice of argillite carving and was well known for teaching younger artists to work in the medium. Moody was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1976. He died in Vancouver in 1998.