David Boxley, a Tsimshian carver from Alaska, created a totem pole for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Boxley, who grew up in Metlakatla, and his son put the finishing touches on the 22-foot-long, 2,500-pound pole last week. It was installed inside the atrium of the museum on Saturday.

“There’s few of us,” Boxley told The Washington Post. “But we’re alive and well. We wanted to let people know we’re alive and well.”

The totem features a chief holding salmon, a group of villagers and an eagle -- the symbol of Boxley's clan.

Get the Story:
Museum gets totem pole newly carved in ancient wood (The Washington Post 1/7)
Kingston carver's totem pole will debut at Smithsonian (The Kitsap Sun 1/8)

Related Stories:
Smithsonian: Totem pole arrives at NMAI from Pacific Northwest (1/5)