Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole

Overview

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.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

September 12, 2003

Original language

English

Countries

Canada

Production

ONF,NFB

Director

Gil Cardinal

Producer

Bonnie Thompson,Graydon McCrea,Jerry Krepakevich

Cinematography

Daron Donahue

Music

Clode Hamelin

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

Homepage

Official site

IMDb

tt0379556