Description

Up to the turn of the century, Ninstints was the main village of the Kunghit-Haida. Only a few decaying totem poles bear witness to the past importance of the community. It is still possible to see the hollows at the top of these five mortuary poles where the deceased person was placed behind a vertical plank (see photo 55). Thanks to old photographs, the figures on the poles are identifiable. On the first pole (moving from left to right) the wings of an eagle are visible, although the head has lost its beak. The fearsome jaws of a killer whale can be discerned on the second pole, and the third and fifth poles each has a bear carved on it.