
Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
This feature-length documentary traces the journey of the Haisla people to reclaim the G'psgolox totem pole that went missing from their British Columbia village in 1929. The fate of the 19th century traditional mortuary pole remained unknown for over 60 years until it was discovered in a Stockholm museum where it is considered state property by the Swedish government. Director Gil Cardinal combines interviews, striking imagery and rare footage of master carvers to raise questions about ownership and the meaning of Aboriginal objects held in museums.
- Overview
- Crew
Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
- Overview
- Crew
Status
Released
Release Date
Sep 12, 2003
Runtime
1h 10m
Genres
Documentary
Original Title
Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
Production Companies
ONF | NFB
Director
Gil Cardinal
Description
This feature-length documentary traces the journey of the Haisla people to reclaim the G'psgolox totem pole that went missing from their British Columbia village in 1929. The fate of the 19th century traditional mortuary pole remained unknown for over 60 years until it was discovered in a Stockholm museum where it is considered state property by the Swedish government. Director Gil Cardinal combines interviews, striking imagery and rare footage of master carvers to raise questions about ownership and the meaning of Aboriginal objects held in museums.