Yeah, the link about the pole carved by the (recent) muderer is very interesting. posted by everichon at 11:17 AM on March 15, 2006
As a Pole, I am sick of feeling ashamed. We're really not that stupid! posted by Astro Zombie at 11:49 AM on March 15, 2006
Interesting, completely new to me - thank you.
I have seen the poles at the anthropology museum in Vancouver. This further extends my knowledge. Interesting how the thief white man was shown with curly hair. posted by adamvasco at 12:03 PM on March 15, 2006
I actually wrote a term paper about shame poles and objects of ridicule last fall for my Ethnographic Art course. I got interested in them after reading about the Lincoln and Seward shame poles in Alaska in Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation. I do not claim to be an expert on them, but generally, the society was set up on the basis of status of clans, and maintaining that status. The specific clans held potlaches, which were extravagent events where they would give away all of their possessions to show their wealth and status. It was here that they would introduce crest poles, also known as totem poles. Shaming members of other clans was a big deal, it dealt with the status issue as well as being a huge insult to the clans. Violence occurred in many instances due to shame poles.
In this specific case, the exact reason behind the Lincoln poles, from what I found were not known. There were a few theories, including the commemoration of the emancipation proclamation, but I don't know if there is an exact answer. Kind of like where the word Hoosier comes from. Supposedly Secretary of State William Seward, of Seward's folly fame, earned a shame pole when he attended a potlach thrown for him. There he received some pretty expensive gifts, canoes, furs, foods, and tons of it. He never returned the favor, a big insult, and was forever branded with shame.
Anyways, this is all coming from a Senior undergraduate design student, so take it all with a grain of salt.
If any of you are interested in learning a bit more, you can check out my paper at
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~sreinh21/ShamePoles.doc posted by Sreiny at 12:25 PM on March 15, 2006
Still the Squaxin Island tribe held a "blessing" ceremony last week to "cancel any negative energy that may be surrounding the pole as a result of its past," said Charlene Krise of the Squaxin tribal museum.
Well, that's all better then, I guess. posted by illovich at 12:34 PM on March 15, 2006
Can a Bush shame pole be far behind? posted by Yer-Ol-Pal at 12:56 PM on March 15, 2006
yer ol pal et al...Can we lay off the Bush bashing in every gol dang thread? jeesh! posted by Gungho at 12:58 PM on March 15, 2006
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oh wait. nevermind. I'd never heard of these things before. really interesting. thanks.
posted by shmegegge at 10:41 AM on March 15, 2006