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3258 - Alexandria, Virginia, United States of America

When I think of totem poles, I always think of the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) people on British Columbia's west coast. I lived on the west coast of Vancouver Island for 5 years as a boy and loved totem poles. 

This card is from a writer in Alexandria, United States, but it is of jangseung 장승, translated to village guardian: Korean totem poles. 

Jangseung are also made of wood are placed on the edges of villages to mark village boundaries and to frighten away any demons that may be lurking about. They are usually decorated with inscriptions describing the personae of the carved figures on the front of the poles. In some regions of Korea, they are made of stone. 




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