Interpretation and Evalution

In the primitive society of America，artist had already held some refined method to express the figures in the figures in the myth. Obviously, they were almost hunter, so they must know a lot about the shape of animals. However, they believe only a shape feature could be used to describe them. For example, it is so hard for ordinary people to understand what's the meaning of the Haida totem, but native American Indians understand those poles tell people a old legend.

"Once upon time, there was a young man in Gwais Kun, he lied in bed almost every day, his mother in law was very angry with him, so he left shamefacedly. At that time, there was a monster in the lake, always eating human and whale. So the young man decided to kill the monster, god's bird helped him, he use some tree trunks to be the fish pole, hanging two children to be the bait. Then the monster was killed, he dressed the monster's leather to catch fish, and then put the fish in front of his mother in law's home, she was proud and told everyone she was the witch who has supernatural power, after the young man told her the truth, she was ashamed to die."

All of the figures in this story were carved on the totem.

In the natives' eyes, it was a very solemn and serious work, they need several years to carve these huge poles, sometimes the whole village need to help to do this, because it's their chief's glory and honour. It's amazing. Their works are quite different from our contemporary society, making them was not for skills, it's due to the concept. These works are even earlier than the Egypt art, the latter was considered to be the source of art of human being and has more reflection for contemporary art. However, in my opinion, those kind of original art also leave us a great civilization to appreciate them, making us move.