Ista Harmony Oud
![House entrance pole shown in Thunderbird Park beside carved figures of bears.](/sites/default/files/2021-01/i-21083.png)
Ista is Nuxalk from Bella Coola. She received assistance with the project from Dale McCreery and local elders in Bella Coola.
Explore a curated selection of Royal BC Museum objects and contemporary photographs that inspire this community member to continue working in the tradition.
![Crook knife](/sites/default/files/2021-02/6405_-_2019sl0724042.png)
This crook knife was used to carve faces on their poles
![Crook knife](/sites/default/files/2021-02/6406_-_2019sl0724036.png)
They carve with this thing too, this crook knife
![Boardwalk surrounded by totems placed in front of each house](/sites/default/files/2021-02/pn07196.png)
This village of ours is really beautiful!
![Totem pole braced in front of entrance of house](/sites/default/files/2021-02/pn07200.png)
The pole is standing in the entrance of the house at Talyu.
![Small painted totem pole](/sites/default/files/2021-02/13690_-_2019sl0724001.png)
They were really skilled at making totem poles at that time.
![Group of men standing up a totem pole](/sites/default/files/2021-02/istaphoto1.png)
They are standing up the pole
![Newly grounded totem pole](/sites/default/files/2021-02/istaphoto2.png)
The pole is grounded now.
![People standing in front of totem pole with entrance in totem's mouth](/sites/default/files/2021-02/pn09064.png)
It has an open mouth on it, and they go in by it.
![Colored drawing depicting totem and ceremonial screen](/sites/default/files/2021-02/14476_-_2019sl0730040.png)
Do you see how it was all painted before?
![Entrance pole stands in a rocky area](/sites/default/files/2021-02/pn00618_c.png)
It was the house of Snuxyaltwa where this entrance pole was (it’s now standing in the museum)
![Man stand beside entrance totem pole beside house](/sites/default/files/2021-02/pn07174.png)
This is the house of Tallio Hans, this is their entrance pole. (also standing in the museum now).
![Adze](/sites/default/files/2021-02/2342_-_2019sl0724033.png)
They would do adze work on the face of the pole with a tool like this, an adze.
![Wooden wedge](/sites/default/files/2021-02/101110_-_2019sl0724022.png)
Maybe this was used as a wedge as they split the future entrance pole.