Timber and Totem Poles

1949. This classic film is a short travelogue about Southeastern Alaska. It emphasizes the role of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in reviving the art of totem pole carving. The film includes scenes of a young man carving a pole under the supervision of an older man in traditional attire; steps in carving a totem pole; various totem designs and their meanings; restored community houses; men wearing Chilkat blankets; and Alaska Natives (mostly likely Tlingit) singing and dancing as a thank you to the CCC. The timber resources of the Tongass National Forest are lightly touched on, but not discussed at length.