Tlaoquiaht ha’wiih Totem
To continue this tour, head west along Main Street. The nearby fuel dock is the launch point for chartered tours of Freedom Cove (an hour journey by boat) — or you can discover more about the artist-built island virtually.
The totem pole or čiinuł is carved in a style that is specific to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. At the top of the pole, a Thunderbird perches above a humpback whale. Both elements represent hereditary chiefs or Ha’wiih.
Tla-o-qui-aht artist and master carver Joe David gifted the totem pole here in Anchor Park where it was raised on September 7, 2018 as a gesture of relationship moving forward with the village of Tofino.
Joe David was born and raised here in Clayoquot Sound. He is a recipient of the BC Achievement Fulmer Award for First Nations Art (2015) and is acknowledged as “among the most respected master carvers of the Northwest Coast”.
His work is represented in museums and private collections around the world, including at Vancouver International Airport. Joe David also contributed to the čiinuł at Tin Wis Resort included on the MUP portion of the artwalk.
This interview with Joe David was recorded here at Anchor Park, overlooking the harbour and the village of Opitsaht.
