Recent videos on social media show visitors “mocking, imitating or otherwise disrespecting Alaska Native totem poles and cultural symbols” as part of a trend that is “deeply disappointing and unacceptable,” a coalition of tribal officials declared.
For the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples, totem poles represent the histories, identities, relationships and responsibilities of clans, houses and families, according to a joint press release on June 19 by the Ketchikan Indian Community, Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and Alaska Native Heritage Center.
“Totem poles are not tourist props, social media backdrops or objects to be mocked for entertainment,” said Tlingit and Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson.
“They carry our histories, clan stories, ancestors and cultural teachings. While some may intend this trend to be fun or good-natured, the unintended consequence is that it diminishes and trivializes living Indigenous cultures,” Peterson said.
“We welcome visitors to our homelands and encourage people to learn about our cultures with respect. We ask that those who visit Southeast Alaska honor our totem poles and cultural treasures with the same care they would expect for the places, histories and traditions sacred to them.”
Peterson, through a social media post, said he would not share the videos.
“But I do want to share that while I am sure that the tourists coming to our communities may have really just been trying to have ‘fun,’ with their videos dancing around totem poles … they are in fact incredibly ignorant and harmful,” he wrote.
He said Tlingit and Haida wanted to take the opportunity to reach out to visitors, cruise lines and other tourist operators, and educate them on the harm their actions are causing.
Dixie Hutchinson, a spokesperson for Tlingit and Haida, said social media has amplified the visibility of interactions with totem poles.
“As more visitors share photos and videos online, instances that may have previously gone unnoticed are now reaching much larger audiences,” she wrote in an email on June 19. “From Tlingit and Haida's perspective, the issue is less about how often it occurs and more about how our cultural heritage is being treated.”
“Totem poles are not tourist attractions created for public amusement,” said Emily Edenshaw, CEO and tribal administrator of Ketchikan Indian Community.
“They are expressions of identity, history and responsibility that have been carried forward by Indigenous peoples for generations,” Edenshaw said. “When visitors mock these cultural treasures, they are not simply making a joke. They are showing disregard for the communities, ancestors and living traditions those poles represent.”
