Design for 'Two Brothers Pole', Study

After standing in Jasper for almost 100 years, the Raven Totem Pole was taken down and repatriated to Haida Gwaii, in 2011 a new pole, the Two Brothers pole was erected in Jasper to replace the Raven Pole.

To commemorate the event, Parks Canada also published The Two Brothers - A Haida Story.

The book, illustrated by carvers Jaalen and Gwaai Edenshaw, tells the Haida story behind the Two Brothers Totem Pole: a story of a journey long ago from the west coast islands of Haida Gwaii to the Rocky Mountains and of an unusual connection between two very different places. The trilingual book was published in Haida, English and French.

Gwaai is a Haida artist known primarily for his metalwork. He also works with a variety of media including bone, slate, and wood.

Alongside being an illustrator, Gwaai also has a passion for story and language. As a founding member of the K’aalts’idaa K’ah Storytelling Society, he has had a role in numerous productions, including the Haidawood stop-motion animation suite, the Haida staging of Sounding Gambling Sticks, and as a consultant in Bruce Ruddell’s Beyond Eden.

Along with a life of learning from his father, Guujaaw, Gwaai was also trained by Bill Reid. He continues to learn through the generosity of senior artists and collaborators.