Kwanusila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kwanusila |
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| Artist | Tony Hunt |
| Completion date | 1986 |
| Medium | Wood |
| Dimensions | 12.2 meters (40 feet) |
| Location | Chicago |
| 41°56′56.3″N 87°38′32.8″W / 41.948972°N 87.642444°W | |
| Owner | Tony Hunt |
Kwanusila is a very tall totem pole in Chicago, Illinois. It stands about 12.2 meters (40 feet) high. This amazing artwork is carved from red cedar wood. You can find it in Lincoln Park near Addison Street. It's just east of Lake Shore Drive in the Lake View area of Chicago.
The pole is brightly painted with different figures. At the bottom, there's a fierce-looking sea monster. Above it, you can see a man riding a whale. Right at the very top is Kwanusila, the powerful Thunderbird.
The Story of Kwanusila
A New Totem Pole for Chicago
The Kwanusila totem pole was carved by Tony Hunt. He was the chief of the Kwagu'ł tribe. This tribe lives in British Columbia, Canada. Tony Hunt created this pole in 1986. It was made to replace an older totem pole that had been in the park since 1929.
The First Totem Pole
The first totem pole was carved way back in 1893. It was made for a big event called the World's Columbian Exposition. This was a huge world's fair held in Chicago. George Hunt carved this first pole. He was an expert who studied cultures and languages. He helped with the fair and was also a translator. George Hunt was an ancestor of Tony Hunt, who carved the new pole.
After the fair, a man named James L. Kraft bought the first totem pole. He was famous for starting Kraft Foods. Later, he gave the pole to the city of Chicago. It was put in Lincoln Park in 1929. Over many years, the pole got damaged. It suffered from bad weather and even people harming it. Because of this, it was sent away in 1985. It went to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. There, experts could study it and help preserve it.
