AN UNUSUAL AQUARIUM

                 Probably the First of its Kind

     When in Auckland, New Zealand, I visited a most unusual aquarium. Since then I have been in other attractions where one can step on a moving walkway and just look—or get off for further study. But the history of this museum is unique and I bet is one of a kind.

     The whole aquarium is underground housed in old sewage tanks---the same storage tanks that once housed the city’s affluent !  Kelly Tarlton was an imaginative thinker. Once the storage tanks were no longer used he wanted to buy them from the city, but the city would not sell them. Everyone thought Kelly had gone loco.

     Finally after some time and negotiation the city agreed to lease the tanks to Kelly for $1 a year. He agreed, but insisted on a 1000 year lease. Kelly designed, planned  and supervised the building of the aquarium. Tons of junk had to be removed and extensive cleaning done before the construction could even begin.

     One can walk the aquarium or step on a moving walkway, as I chose to do, It was like being in a tunnel with fish all around  and on top of you. There were several varieties of rays swimming overhead and I had never seen the underside of a ray.  Big fish, small fish, all shapes and colors swam up, down and over you.  It was most amazing. Having visited many aquariums over the years this was the most unusual.  When I got to the end of the moving walkway I had to go again and again. My friend waited for me while made the third go around. Then I was satisfied.

      Known as New Zealand’s  Jacques Cousteau, Kelly died in 1985 at age 48, just a few weeks after the aquarium opened. It is said that diving contributed to his premature death.

     I believe this was the first aquarium where tubes of water with swimming fish were attempted. Over the years I have visited two other similar design aquariums in other areas, but above ground.

     In Auckland there was so much going on, to see and digest that claustrophobic me had no problem being underground!  

STORY POLES

                          No Longer Totem Poles

     Spanish explorers thought North American Native Peoples, who they called Indians, worshiped their poles and called them totems, which in Spanish means idol. Of course none of that was true. Totems tell a story and often record family history, so today story poles is the correct terminology.

     In Canada the term First Nation’s Peoples has replaced the use of Indian, aborigine, and indigenous, all words used in the past to describe the nation’s first inhabitants.

     Story poles are more common in some places than others, as the custom of carving was common among certain tribes or bands of people. The giant red cedar tree is the most common tree used for carving a story pole, so proximity to them was a big factor influencing the craft/tradition. The tree with the stringy bark can grow 200-feet tall.

     Story poles depict the relationship between man, animals, celestial bodies, plants, and landscapes and how they intermingle and change. A person, clan, band, or trib differs from another the same way a dog differs from a cat.

     To say, “I am a Raven” means I am from the Raven clan/band.  The Raven ranks high on the story pole as he oversees man and the creatures below. He also is the guardian of the carver.

The Raven’s strong beak is feared by both man and other creatures.

     The Eagle is the symbol of the Haida tribe, and his flight honors the past while soaring into the future. He is the strongest of all creatures because he has the largest wings, sharpest eyes, controls the sky and can cause storms, thunder and lightning.  Sometimes he is called the thunder bird.

     This is no more than an awareness and introduction to story poles. It’s a fascinating subject. There is a large story pole in a square in Seattle, Washington. Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia has numerous poles. I happened to be at the Capilano swinging bridge complex when a carver was in residence. The friendly fellow was most generous with his time answering questions and educating my friend and me.  Story poles are often seen in the western U S and Canada.

     I bought a book somewhere in my travels so I’ll go more in depth on the subject another day.