North to Alaska

The Christmas Totem Pole

When the Rev. David Fison was pastor of a Church in Ketchikan, he realized that much of the Christmas story had no relevance for the Tsimshian people. A few minor glitches: there were no shepherds and no donkey for Mary. And some major glitches: names for God and the Heavenly Host. While he was interim pastor in the Tsimshian village of Meltakatla he knew that he would have to use the traditional method of Tsimshian story telling, a totem pole, if he was going to succeed in his plan. When he was transferred to Fairbanks he researched and found the Tsimshian equivalents for Christian symbolism. Shepherds would need to be replaced with keepers of the village fish traps since there were no domestic animals. Travel would have to be by canoe. An Angel would become Raven and Frog would be the messenger sent by the “Great Chief of the Heavens” to warn Joseph, the woodcarver. In 1987 he completed a 12-foot yellow cedar totem pole which told the Christmas Story in Tsimshian symbols. Fison wrote a poem to explain the pole. A few excerpts:

“The let this pole proclaim:
That “Great Chief of the Heavens”
Was their Creator’s name.

Black Raven was His Messenger
To Bring His word it seems.
And Frog, the lesser creature,
He sent to them in dreams.
…
Men tending village fishtraps
Heard the Raven’s song,
And ran to find a Saviour
Promised e’er so long.

In 1997 Fison completed an Easter Totem Pole. Today the Christmas Totem Pole can be seen around the world including the Vatican. 27-inch models of both poles are available. Contact Fison at totem@alaska.net.