Lummi 9-11 Healing Poles

The Lummi Nation Totem Poles at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The poles were commissioned by the September 11 Memorial Groves Project, which is creating a series of memorial groves throughout Washington, D.C., to honor those who died during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The totems are a gift of the Lhaq'temish (the Lummi Nation). The Lhaq'temish are the original inhabitants of the northernmost coast of Washington state. Their tribal lands extended north into southern British Columbia.

These totems are 14 feet tall and are six feet around, while the crossbar is 36 feet long. They were carved from a single western red cedar felled in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The totems are named "Liberty" and "Freedom," and the crossbar "Sovereignty", and are healing totems. They were made by master carver Jewell Praying Wolf James of the Lummi Nation.

The totems were dedicated on September 23, 2004. Representatives of the Lummi as well as many other Native American peoples blessed the poles during their dedication. The pole on the left represents Liberty. A male bear representing Father Sky stands above Grandfather Sun. The pole on the right represents Freedom. A female bear representing Mother Earth stands above Grandmother Moon (depicted on a turtle shell).

The left piece of the crossbar is a female eagle facing east, representing Peace. A male eagle, facing west, represents War. Together, the crossbar represents Sovereignty.

When the Lummi carvers were working on Grandmother Sun, they felt compelled to add the image of the turtleshell. They did not know why. Only once the totems reach Washington was the reason made clear: Unbeknownst to them, the turtle is the symbol of the Piscataway Indians who once lived on the banks of the Anacostia River just a few hundred yards away.