Wayne Alfred is a member of the Namgis Tribe of the Kwakwaka'wakw people. As a master carver he has an extremely high level of carving skill and knowledge about his peoples cultural objects, customs, tribal stories and legends. The Totem Poles of the North Pacific Coast in British Columbia and Alaska are traditionally carved out of red or yellow cedar, which has a spiritual and practical purpose. The wood was known for its durability, its resistance to rotting and the inner bark was utilised in ropemaking, clothing, hats, baskets and so forth. The Kwakitul People consider the cedar tree to be among the most sacred of all things provided by the Creator. They believed the Cedar tree to be the axis of the world and a pathway to the upper world. The wood is shaped using implements such as adzes, axes, chisels, carving knives, and chainsaws. Misinterpreted as Gods and idols to be worshipped, totems usually serve six purposes, such as a house pillar for support, a memorial or mortuary pole to commemorate (and house) the deceased, a potlatch pole (used for important traditional indigenous celebrations), a ridicule pole used to shame and a heraldic or family crest pole. Characters and symbols on these totem poles usually display family crests, history, wealth, social rank, inheritance, and privilege, as well as animalistic imagery derived from native animals and mythological creatures. Their sequence are indicative of past family events, ancestors, myths, and heraldic crests, with the bottom figure usually being the most prominent. In this work the 'thunderbird' is symbolic of power, strength and of ancestory. The Commonwealth Games Totem Pole was presented to the people of Nillumbik on behalf of the Canadian Government in recognition of Melbourne as the hosts of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Team in 2006. Carved in cedar wood, this totem pole incorporates bold cuts and colours (such as red and green) offset by strong black. A relative degree of realism is used to depict the alligator located on the bottom of the pole, a man and a 'thunderbird'/eagle located on the top. With protuding element. No inscriptions. Bold cuts used to outline the characters and symbols as well as decorative and stylised features all over the pole. public art, kwakwaka'wakw, namgis, alfred, north pacific coast, british columbia, canada, totem pole, carved, commonwealth games, melbourne festival, cedar

Leopoldine Mimovich was born in 1920, in Neumarkt in the Italian Tyrol. In 1940, aged 20, she moved to Vienna where she studied clay modelling and drawing. From 1943 she attended the School of Wood Sculpture in Hallstatt, graduating in 1947. Following her marriage to Ljubisa Mimovich, the couple migrated to Australia in 1949 travelling on MV Skaugum. After an initial period at Bonegilla and Royal Park Migrant Hostels the couple moved to Yarraville and then to 33 Miller Road, Kew, where she established her studio. A wood sculptor, painter and etcher, she was awarded an OAM for services to the arts in 1985. Examples of her sculptures in Kew can be found in the Kew Library and in the Alexandra Gardens.Black and white photograph of sculpture or sculptures by Leopoldine Mimovich photographed in her home at 31 Miller Grove, Kewartists - kew (vic), leopoldine (poldi) mimovich

A photo of senior girls in a scene from an annual demonstration. The girls were dressed as native American girls, some are in a kayak and others stand near totem poles. One of these two photos was used in the July 1954 newsletter to highlight the work of the girls classes. Throughout the year Melbourne Legacy provided classes for Junior Legatees such as dancing, gymnastics and Eurythmics. The Demonstration was an annual event to showcase their skills. Melbourne Legacy conducted Annual Demonstrations / Parades from 1928 through to the 1980's, usually held at Melbourne Town Hall or Olympic Pool Stadium. The beautiful costumes were made by members of the Junior Legacy Mothers' Club and the Melbourne Legacy Wives' Association. Miss Enez Domec-Carre was the supervisor of girls classes and instrumental in the Annual Demonstration for many years. She joined Melbourne Legacy in 1932 and became the chief instructor of girls' physical education until she retired aged 65 in 1970.A record of the set and costumes used at the Annual Demonstrations. Also that Legacy provided classes for junior legatees and the skills learned were displayed in the Annual Demonstration.Black and white photo of junior legatees in native American costume in a mock kayak on stage at an Annual Demonstration. There are two copies of different sizes.annual demonstration, junior legatee, costume, totem pole

A photo of a group of female junior legatees in sporting outfits entering the Annual Demonstration with a prop of a totem pole. There are 14 young girls and part of the audience is visible. Legacy clubs ran classes for junior legatees for many years such as gymnastics, swimming or dancing classes. It was part of providing for the children of their deceased comrades. The skills they learned were show cased in an annual demonstration usually at the Melbourne Town Hall. It appears to be photo taken professionally, as there are several photos of different classes (see 00862 - 00873) perhaps to record Legacy classes for promotion purposes. A note with the photo identifies two young ladies; "Kneeling at the front Michelle and Anne O'Connor.A record of a way Legacy provided classes for junior legatees and the skills learned were displayed in the Annual Demonstration.Black and white photo of girls in sports outfits with the Legacy logo carrying a totem pole into a venue.Handwritten 'Legacy P2' in blue pen and 'Annual Demo 1963' in pencil.junior legatee, annual demonstration

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Cream yearbook with orange text reading GERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1952. To the left of this text is a drawing of a red totem pole.GERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1952

cream stapled pile of extracts from the 1952 yearbook magazine, showing a black and white totem pole to the left of the words GERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL 1952GERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1952

Cream yearbook with red writing reading GERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1953. To the right of the text is a drawing of a blue totem pole. The book is covered by plastic for protectionGERONIMO WANGARATTA TECHNICAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 1953

Ten unique hand painted poles (wooden telegraph poles) reflect the surroundings of Lake Wendouree and tell First Nations' peoples stories. Tom Clark created the Koori Totem Poles prior to the establishment of the North Garden Indigenous Sculpture Park. The work is a set of 10 poles decorated and carved with ‘Koorie’ motifs and references and was commissioned originally for Ballarat’s Begonia Festival. These poles were shifted from the Ballarat Botanical Gardens main area in 2015 to their present site guarding the northern entrance to North Gardens.The artworks are of aesthetic and cultural significance to the people of BallaratTen hand painted wooden telegraph polestotem poles

Six hand-painted bollards together with two painted wood panels, bollards 91cm high