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Land Otter Pole: This Haida pole was designed and carved by John Wallace, a carver from Hydaburg. It was completed and set up in 1947. The hero of the story stands on top wearing a dogskin headdress. An art form frequently used by Haida craftsmen is to overlap a carved figure with the figure below, as illustrated here with the hero's feet carved into the ears of the human figure below.
The hero holds in one hand the tail of a land otter, and in the other hand a carved club. The carved club is symbolic of magical powers allowing him to outwit his enemies. Below is a drowned man holding onto two logs being taken to the home of the land otters, represented by the human-like cave being below the logs. At the base is a devil-fish.
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