Kwakiutl Totem

The Kwakiutl totem pole, in Ottawa

The Kwakiutl totem pole is a carved pole installed in Confederation Park, a witness of the art and the culture of the Indigenous peoples of the west coast. The Ottawa audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this commemorative work.

The carved pole of the west coast peoples

Before you stands a totem pole that transports you to the ancestral art of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. This totem pole, carved in the tradition of the Kwakiutl, one of the First Nations peoples of the west coast and British Columbia, was installed here in 1971. It celebrates the centenary of British Columbia's entry into the Canadian Confederation, which occurred in 1871. Totem poles, wooden poles richly carved with superimposed animal figures and mythical beings, are an emblematic art of the First Nations of the Pacific coast, bearer of stories, lineages and beliefs. You discover this totem pole with respect, as a tribute to the culture and the heritage of the Indigenous peoples.

What to see

You admire, with respect, the totem pole carved in the Kwakiutl tradition of the First Nations of the west coast, installed in 1971 for the centenary of British Columbia's entry into the Confederation, in Confederation Park. The totem pole pays tribute to Indigenous culture. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Kwakiutl totem pole lies in Confederation Park, in the heart of Ottawa, reachable on foot. It is an open-air work, freely visible from the public space. It is best to observe it with the respect due to this testimony of the culture of the Indigenous peoples.

What does the Kwakiutl totem pole of Ottawa celebrate?

Installed in 1971 and carved in the Kwakiutl tradition of the First Nations of the west coast, it celebrates the centenary of British Columbia's entry into the Canadian Confederation, in 1871.

Where is the Kwakiutl totem pole?

In Confederation Park, in the heart of Ottawa, in Canada.