Jane Emerick
Special to The Chief
An American's visit to Whistler last year resulted in a love affair with Native art and 17-foot project for two local carvers.The man, who was on holiday with his wife from Washington D.C., had seen Harold Baker's name on the back of smaller carvings in gift shops in Vancouver. He loved them and decided to go looking for Baker in Squamish.
He originally wanted to purchase a smaller piece for his wife, but soon changed his mind when he saw larger examples of Baker's work.
"He liked my carvings," said Baker, who also created the welcome pole at the Stawamus Reserve. "So he decided to get something bigger."
Bigger meant a 17-foot, handcrafted pole, that would be created over the next year by Baker and his father, Bob.
At the time, the cedar pole was not yet carved and the elder Baker said their American visitor was adamant he wanted it created into a totem pole for purchase.
"When he saw the pole, he said 'I want that one,'" he said.
The Bakers charge $1,000 per foot for their carvings, which cover the entire surface of the pole. Before going ahead with the work, they asked the man what he wanted to see on the finished product.
"But he said 'You tell me,'" said the senior Baker.
The two created the design on the pole, which Harold said is representative of the Squamish people.
When the pole is finished, a carved sun with extended beams will be placed on top for its significant creating powers. "Without the sun we wouldn't have life," said the elder Baker.
Underneath the sun is an eagle carrying a moon with a salmon on each wing. Below this, a depiction of humans coming out of a clam, which is representative of the First Nation's legend of the creation of the human race. Underneath that, and on the base of the pole, is a bear eating salmon.
Baker also said the sun is his family's crest and the eagle and moon represent the Squamish people and their hearts.He said he is proud of the amount of work that has gone into the project and finds inspiration in the love he has for his family."It's all in the heart," he said. "I love my family and you put all of that in there."
Baker said the project has been year-long and began with the removal of the bark and sap from the outside of the tree.From there his father, who also has experience as a carpenter, began to measure out the figures and draw them on the pole.Knives and chisels were then used to carve out the designs.
Baker's father credits him with doing the lion's share of the work.
"He's the master carver," he said. "I like to more or less sit back and watch him."
But Baker insists it is a team effort.
"We work together on the whole thing," he said. "Everybody helps out."
Baker said he expects the final stage of staining the wood to be completed in the next couple of weeks. He said the totem pole would have a traditional blessing ceremony before it is sent to its new home in Washington.
For their next project Baker said he has an 83-foot pole he would like to carve.
