OK, after a detour through Baker City in Eastern Oregon and views of our place in Idaho, it's time to resume posting photos of the totem poles at the 'Namgis cemetery at Alert Bay on Cormorant Island off the coast of Northern British Columbia.

This is the figure directly above the figure shown in my last photo of the 'Namgis cemetery.

I'm sure no one will doubt me when I say I'm not an expert on the art of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation.

I'm pretty sure this figure is a fish, though I'm not clear on the significance of the face - human? - carved midline above the fish's head.

What sort of fish would this be? I'll toss out several possibilities: Sturgeon, Rockfish/Red Snapper, Salmon, or spirit fish. The Sturgeon identification is problematic because Sturgeons seem to lack dorsal fins altogether, and this figure has a prominent one. The Red Snappers I've seen fishermen bring in have been bulkier and have had diagnostic spiked fins that aren't found here. When it comes to Salmon iconography in Kwakwaka'wakw art, I'm at sea, but I think the Kwakwaka'wakw salmon would have a taller and narrower body. Orca? It's hard to imagine a Northwest Coast First Nations depiction of an Orca without teeth and an even more prominent dorsal fin.

So I'm inclined to think this may be a fish that inhabits the spirit world, especially because of the humanoid face carved at the center of the fish's back directly above the head. In fact, the face might well hold the key to understanding the story or legend identified with this figure, which could relate to events in the decedent's past, that of his family, or the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples.

Then, of course, it could be a very different sort of sea entity - a sea monster - though I'd expect it to have "ears," prominent teeth and protruding toungue, all of which are absent here, as far as I can tell.

Perhaps a viewer who understands this art better than I will be kind enough to share his or her knowledge with us.

As anyone who's seen this piece in person will immediately realize, I have put the image through Photo Shop.

I removed power lines that ran behind the image, and I removed a wooden power pole to the right of the totem pole that distracted significantly from the carving's sense of presence.

Last, but certainly not least, I have enhanced the colors that remain on the carving to provide a better idea of the original color scheme. The actual carving is considerably more faded. In fact, I should post the original photo below this one so viewers can compare the two.

Why is the actual carving faded? It's my understanding the First Nations of the Northwest Coast allow nature's forces and the elements to work unimpeded on totem poles after they are erected.