Fellow
TJ Young
Kaigani Haida
Kaigani Haida
You could say that TJ Young got “hooked” into becoming a Haida carver when he was only a teenager. His grandfather―a mentor, role model, and culture bearer of Haida language and traditions―instructed him to retrieve a 100-pound halibut from his boat and pull out the hook from its mouth. Young was stunned to discover a functional, wooden hook carved by his grandfather that he always thought was a wall decoration.
“I remember that being a profound ‘aha’ moment that had a big impact on the direction of my life,” recalls Young about the experience that sparked a lifelong desire to carve totem poles and other traditional crafts of Haida people.
Today, the 43-year-old native of Hydaburg, Alaska―and 2024 Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow―is renowned in many Alaskan communities for carving traditional Haida totem poles, and canoes, with his older brother Joe, who has been by his side since Day One.
“When I was 19, Joe and I carved our first totem pole, about a 7-footer, for my grandfather’s 90th birthday to honor our late grandmother. It was the first one to be carved and raised in Hydaburg by our people in over 60 years,” says Young of the inaugural project that started a revitalization of carving totem poles in the Haida community, bringing together relatives and spectators from villages throughout Southeast Alaska.
Since then, Young has carved close to 30 totem poles of all sizes but admits that he is not comfortable keeping a tally because it’s not about the numbers. “I’m not a big counter. It’s about progression; getting better and more creative the more totem poles you do.”
At the time of this interview with First Nations, Young was in Wrangell, Alaska, working with four apprentices to finish up a 37-foot totem pole that has taken three months to carve. In whatever location he is commissioned to carve, Young will take on apprentices to teach them the traditional Haida craftsmanship he has learned along the way. Through the years, Young has trained close to 20 apprentices. “I am passionate about keeping this art form alive and thriving for future generations.”
While he doesn’t consider himself a Haida master carver yet, Young says it is what he aspires to be. He knows of only four master carvers on the Alaskan coast who are prolific in many mediums, in addition to wood―including the celebrated Haida artist Robert Davidson, with whom he apprenticed for four years to expand his knowledge of Northwest Coast design.
“Robert taught me so many carving techniques, like building a miniature scale model before you begin the real sculpting. He also taught me about the business side of carving, working with clients and galleries. He is such a professional,” says Young with much admiration.
And the feeling seems to be mutual. In his letter to recommend Young for the Luce Fellowship, Davidson writes: “TJ has evolved into a respected artist … and custodian of our cultural heritage. His efforts in preserving and promoting our Indigenous art and culture have left a lasting and profound impact on our community … that will resonate for generations to come.”
His vision to build the Haida Healing House
When Young and his brother come to town to carve a totem pole, the community provides a temporary carving shed that becomes the town square―a gathering place buzzing with excitement as people watch a large, red cedar log transform over several months into a magnificent piece of traditional Haida art that tells a story.
“We’ve worked in everything from tents to canneries to really cold, metal buildings with no heat and inadequate lighting,” says Young, who believes it is important to have a well-equipped workspace where his apprentices can easily grow and develop.
With that spirit of community and purpose in mind, Young is planning to use funds from the Luce Fellowship to help build a multifunctional carving shop and creative gathering space in his hometown of Hydaburg called the Haida Healing House. It will be built on a beachfront lot he has already purchased with his own funds. He describes his vision of this two-storied structure:
“The exterior will resemble a traditional Haida longhouse, with a sauna on the side and small gym out front where people walking by can get some exercise,” explains Young, who ranks health and fitness as a top priority in his life. Downstairs, the insulated shop will be large enough to carve totem poles, as well as provide a heated space to hold classes on traditional art forms, such as drawing, carving, drum-making, painting, and weaving. He also envisions his brother holding Haida language classes there. “Ben is one of few remaining speakers of our Native language, which he learned from our grandfather.”
Young says his inspiration for the Haida Healing House came from spending time at Robert Davidson’s studio in Canada. “He had the right amount of daylight coming in, a sunroof, and a wood stove where we took turns cooking.” Upstairs in his healing house will be living quarters for apprentices, including a bathroom and small kitchen.
The Luce Fellow envisions the Haida Healing House also spurring economic development and cultural tourism in Hydaburg. “Logging used to be a big economic driver here, but it has slowed down,” says Young. “People come here on sailboats to see the totem poles, but there are no restaurants or hotels.” His longhouse designs will include a space for short-term lodging and a climate-controlled museum to display family artifacts.
To date, Young has hired an architect and a designer who are collaborating on several designs. If all goes according to plan, Young hopes to pour the foundation for the Haida Healing House in May 2025.
He sums up his vision for the healing house: “My overarching intention is for this building to actively contribute to and enrich the community; to heal what was stripped of us; to strengthen our sense of identity; to connect and grow; and to reconnect with our traditional way of life.”
A legacy of extraordinary totem poles―and some canoes
For more than two decades, Young and his brother, Joe, have been fashioning red cedar logs from the Tongass National Forest into some of the most talked-about three-dimensional totem poles in Alaska, ranging in size from 7 feet to 40 feet tall.
The brothers have also carved several canoes, an artform that he claims, “is a whole different ballgame from totem poles.” A 23-footer can take up to five months to finish. “My goal is to get two or three more canoes built in my lifetime.”
Some standout projects that the brothers have completed include their largest carving, a 40-foot Yaadaas crest totem pole created for the Sitka National Historical Park. During the carving process, Young and his brother interacted daily with hundreds of park tourists, sharing knowledge and insights about their culture and traditions.
Another totem pole that gained national attention was a 20-footer commissioned by the Alaska Native Heritage Center as a remembrance for the Boarding School Era. “It’s a heavy topic and we wanted to pay homage to the people who endured that era. Because if they didn’t make it through that, none of us would be here,” says Young, a father of three. At the bottom of this totem pole, the brothers carved a mother bear and two cubs, the main characters. As the story progresses to the top, the cubs turn into two children, nestled inside a raven’s ear, looking out into the world.
More than 500 people attended the raising of this totem pole in Anchorage―the farthest north they have ever raised one―including U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland.
But of all the totem poles the Luce Fellow has carved, his favorite one is still the very first one he carved with his brother as a teenager―a gift to their grandfather, and a memorial to their grandmother that still stands tall in front of her home.
“It seemed like a big project at the time, but it was only 7 feet. And we did a lot of things wrong,” like using a freshly cut log that was still green, he recalls with some amusement. “But my grandpa was so proud. And the look on his face when the pole went up is something I will never forget.”