On the 18th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Alaskan community of Cordova witnessed the unveiling of a powerful and poignant symbol of their enduring grievances: a Tlingit shame pole. This wasn’t just any piece of art; it was a deliberate act of cultural expression, a searing commentary on the perceived broken promises and enduring pain inflicted upon the region following the devastating environmental disaster. This Tlingit Shame Pole Unveiled stands as a testament to the community’s resilience and their unwavering pursuit of justice.
The creation of this contemporary shame pole, a practice rooted in the rich traditions of the Tlingit people, was commissioned by the Eyak Native village president in Cordova and brought to life by the skilled hands of Alaska Native carver Mike Webber. Webber, a resident of Cordova, brought a personal connection to the project, having experienced firsthand the economic and ecological devastation wrought by the 1989 spill. His own livelihood, deeply intertwined with the once-abundant herring and salmon fisheries of Prince William Sound, was shattered when he broke his neck in 1999 while working on his fishing boat. This personal tragedy, compounded by the collective trauma of the community, fueled his determination to create a lasting monument to their suffering.
The significance of the Tlingit Shame Pole Unveiled lies not only in its artistic merit but also in its historical and cultural context. Historically, Tlingit shame poles, also known as ridicule poles, served as a form of public shaming, a way to hold wealthy individuals accountable for their transgressions against the community. These poles were erected to publicly display the misdeeds of those who had failed to meet their societal obligations, acting as a stark reminder of their dishonor and a catalyst for restitution. While such poles are rare in modern times, the tradition retains its potent symbolic power, serving as a visual indictment of perceived injustice and a rallying cry for accountability.
The process of carving the shame pole was an emotionally charged endeavor for Webber. He described the difficulty in etching the words "We will make you whole again" into the yellow cedar trunk. These words, allegedly uttered by a top Exxon Mobil official to Cordova residents in the immediate aftermath of the spill, became a symbol of what many perceived as a hollow promise. The company’s subsequent legal battles to avoid paying billions of dollars in punitive damages only deepened the sense of betrayal and fueled the community’s anger. Webber stated that the anger he felt while carving these words was so intense that it took him a week to complete the task.
The imagery incorporated into the shame pole is replete with apocalyptic symbolism and references to the protracted legal battle that followed the spill. At the apex of the pole, perched upside down, is the likeness of Lee Raymond, the former longtime CEO of Exxon. His face is adorned with an exaggerated, Pinocchio-like nose, a visual cue meant to convey the perception of dishonesty and deception. Webber explained that the intention behind this depiction was to ensure that even children could recognize Raymond as a "liar."
Flowing from Raymond’s mouth is an oil slick, a visual representation of the environmental catastrophe unleashed by the Exxon Valdez. Within this slick, Webber meticulously depicted the lifeless forms of sea ducks, a sea otter, and an eagle, all victims of the spill’s toxic effects. A herring, its body marred by lesions, lies near the slick, a grim reminder of the devastating impact on the region’s marine life. These images serve as a stark visual testament to the ecological damage caused by the spill and the long-term consequences for the region’s ecosystem.
Further down the pole, Webber included a depiction of a boat for sale, complete with a family crew on board. This image commemorates the plight of the fishermen who were forced out of business by the spill, their livelihoods destroyed and their families struggling to survive. A bottle of booze is also included, a pointed reference to Joe Hazelwood, the captain of the Exxon Valdez, who was reportedly drinking before turning the helm of the ship over, ultimately contributing to the disaster. This detail serves as a reminder of the human element in the tragedy and the consequences of negligence.
The unveiling of the Tlingit Shame Pole Unveiled evoked a range of emotions within the Cordova community. While some had attempted to move on from the trauma of the spill, the pole served as a stark reminder of the past, bringing back long-suppressed feelings of anger, grief, and resentment. Webber observed that many residents who visited his shop were visibly affected by the pole, their faces etched with a mixture of sorrow and frustration.
The lasting psychological effects of the spill are undeniable. Families who once relied on the sea for their sustenance were forced to seek alternative employment, disrupting the traditional bonds that had held them together. Native subsistence foods, such as seals and butter clams, have not returned to beaches that remain contaminated with underground oil, further impacting the community’s cultural and economic well-being.
Adding to the pole’s emotional weight is the image of a Native figure crying 18 tears, one for each year since the spill. The figure’s ribs are visible, and its heart has a hole, symbolizing the deep wounds inflicted upon the community’s spirit. Webber explained that the spill had "put a hole in our heart and they’ve taken part of our soul as well."
In response to the unveiling of the shame pole, Exxon Mobil issued an email statement expressing regret that Cordova residents had "decided to take this unfortunate action." The company acknowledged that many Alaskans remained angry over the tragic accident. However, they maintained that they had already paid more than $3 billion for compensatory payments, cleanup efforts, and settlements of state and federal claims, arguing that they owed no more than $25 million.
Exxon Mobil also disputed the link between the spill and the decline of the herring population, asserting that no peer-reviewed study by government scientists had established a causal connection. They attributed depressed salmon prices to "free markets and other factors at work, not as a result of the Valdez oil spill."
This claim was challenged by Cordova author Riki Ott, who has written extensively about the spill and provided Webber with ideas for the shame pole. Ott pointed out that a study by government-sponsored scientists linking the herring crash to the spill was undergoing a peer-review process. She also noted that several peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects of oil on herring at early life stages.
The shame pole, funded by Eyak tribal government president Bob Henrichs, will likely be displayed at the tribal government’s cultural center in Cordova, serving as a permanent reminder of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its enduring impact on the community. The Tlingit Shame Pole Unveiled is a potent symbol of resilience, a testament to the power of art to express collective grief and demand accountability.
