PTS'AAN is the Nisga'a word for a totem Pole. Every pts'aan is a list of crests. Nisga'a raised the pts'aan to tell about the history of their families and their property. When a chief raised a pts'aan he hosted a feast and told his adaawak. Later, whenever people saw the ayukws on his pts'aan they would remember his adaawak. Raising a pst'aan is a sign of wealth. The carver needs to be properly thanked and the pole raising is celebrated with a feast and many gifts to the master carver and asistants. The pole raising and the feast become the centre of attention for the whole community. People take more notice of a chief and his wilp when they raise a pts'aan. When the missionaires came they thought the pst'aan were statues of pagan gods that the Nisga'a worshipped. The missioinaires decided that all the pts'aan should be cut down. Many were burned but others were shipped to museums in several places around the world. Several were cut up and usd as house posts for new houses. |
See a slide show of ancient Nisga'a artifacts.
Nisga'a Treaty - This is where you can get the Nisga'a Treaty documentation.
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