Front facade of the Klemtu big house, with welcoming figure and four totemic figures

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Klemtu is one of the aboriginal villages in the Great Bear Rainforest. This is the front facade of the recently built long house in the village that faces the ocean and welcomes people into the house, which is used for ceremonial occasions such as traditional feasts and dances, celebrations and memorials. The central welcoming figure is a man holding two coppers (shields) in his arms, representing each of the two bands living at Klemtu: the Kitasoo tribe of the Tsimshian Nation and the Xai'xais Tribe of the Hjehjish Nation who live together at Klemtu and share a joint government. Partial views of the following four totemic figures can be seen, representing: Eagle: Great Strength, Leadership and Prestige (upper left) Raven: Creation & Knowledge - Bringer of the Light (upper right) Wolf: Intelligence & Leadership - Strong Sense of Family (lower right, mostly hidden from view) Killer whale: Traveler & Guardian - Symbol of Good (lower left)

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Size: 3600px × 2400px
Location: Klemtu big house, Klemtu village, Swindle Island, mid-coastal British Columbia
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: big, british, cedar, columbia, eagle, figure, hjehjish, house, island, killer, kitasoo, klemtu, long, mid-coast, nation, raven, swindle, totem, totemic, traditional, tribe, tshimshian, tsimshian, village, welcoming, whale, wolf, xaixais