Totem poles tell the history of the area

By Samantha Elley

Residents and visitors to Evans Head may have noticed a new art installation as they walk along the river’s edge.

Three totem poles now grace the area, thanks to the Evans Head Progress Association, Richmond Valley Council and the work of Broadwater sculptor, Greg Bowering and New Zealand sculptor Brett Sutherland.

The three individual totems each represent a different aspect of Evans Head.

“The sculptors have used animal-based metaphors such as the osprey, snapper and tiger prawn, as well as capturing the Bandjalang three brothers story,” a council spokesperson said.

“As well as making the totems aesthetically pleasing, the artworks will be durable against the elements.”

The totems are made from hardwood poles and are 3.2 metres high and 0.4 metres in diameter.

The three totems are:

The River Pole –portraying the birdlife and aquatic life of the river. On this pole is the osprey, the kingfsher, chestnut teal and darter. Below in the river part of the totem is a fathead and a stingray.

The Fishing Pole –representing the fshing industry of the town, past and present from the beginnings of commercial prawning in 1948 and harvesting of the eastern rock lobster through to commercial and recreational fshers today. A pelican stands on top the mooring bollard shape of the pole. Below is an anchor, chain and fshing hook on a line overlaying a snapper and jewfsh. A packhorse crayfsh and tiger prawn swim near the bottom of the pole. The Indigenous Pole – This tells the story of the beginnings of people at Evans Head. The three brothers who, with their grandmother, settled the area of the Evans River as told by elder Simone Barker, handed down from her father, respected elder Laurie Wilson. The pole is in the shape of a canoe and shows Gumi, the grandmother at the top with the three brothers Mumoon, Yahbileh and Birren below. A digging stick, spear and woomera are shown on the sides of the canoe and a stone axe is represented at the base.