VOA标准英语2012--Native American Carves Totem Pole for Washington, DC, Museum

Native American Carves Totem Pole for Washington, DC, Museum

David Boxley is a Native American artist from the Tsimshian tribe in Alaska. He's a dancer, songwriter, and wood carver. More importantly, he's an ambassador for Tsimshian culture and heritage.
“We call it art now, but it was a way for people to say, 'This is who I am. This belongs to me.' Or 'This is my clan¹, this is my crest², this is my family history, carved and painted in wood.'”
Boxley was raised by his grandparents. He said Christian³ missionary⁴ influence was strong while he was growing up. So he learned little about his native culture.
While working as a teacher after college, he began researching Tsimshian wood carving⁵ in ethnographic materials and museum collections. In 1986, he left teaching to devote his time to wood carving and reviving Tsimshian art and culture.
“I guess I came along at the right time. Our people really needed a shot in the arm. Our culture wasn’t very prominent after all that missionary influence, and years and years of not having anybody be in that kind of position to guide,” said Boxley.
Almost 30 years later, he's putting the finishing touches on his 70th totem pole, which will stand in the permanent collection at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
“We don’t use sandpaper. We use the knives and the chisels⁶ to get it as smooth as possible. Get the lines clean,” said Boxley.
Totem poles tell a story. This one is carved from a seven-meter-long piece of red cedar⁷. Boxley began carving it several months ago at his home near Seattle in Washington state. It was shipped across country by truck.
“The title is Eagle and the Young Chief,” said Boxley.
The pole tells the story of a young chief who rescued an eagle snared⁸ in a fishing net. Years later, when the Chief’s village was starving, the eagle repaid the chief for his kindness.
“A live salmon⁹ fell out of the sky, and he looked up and he saw the eagle flying away. And every day for days and days, the eagle brought salmon to feed the village,” said Boxley.
Boxley said the pole he carved in honor of his grandfather is closest to his heart. This one is a close second.
“This one is going to be seen by millions over the next hundred years. And it is not just me and my son; it is all of my people that are proud … my tribe,” said Boxley.
On the day the pole was unveiled, Boxley’s dance troupe¹⁰ of family and friends performed for a large audience.
Then, the unveiling.
Boxley has other wood carvings¹¹ in the permanent collection of the museum. This one ensures Tsimshian culture will have pride of place in native American history.

1 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

2 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

5 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

6 chisels   

n.凿子，錾子( chisel的名词复数 )；口凿

参考例句：

• Chisels, brushes, paints-all are the products of technology. 凿子、刷子、颜料―这些都是工艺技术的产物。 来自辞典例句
• He selected the right chisels from a pile laid out beside him. 他从摊在身边的一堆凿子中挑出适用的几把。 来自互联网

7 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

8 snared   

v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He snared a job with IBM. 他以巧妙的手段在 IBM 公司谋得一职。 来自辞典例句
• The hunter snared a skunk. 猎人捕得一只臭鼬。 来自辞典例句

9 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

10 troupe   

n.剧团，戏班；杂技团；马戏团

参考例句：

• The art troupe is always on the move in frontier guards.文工团常年在边防部队流动。
• The troupe produced a new play last night.剧团昨晚上演了一部新剧。

11 carvings   

n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物

参考例句：

• The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town. 贝雕是该城的特产。 来自《简明英汉词典》