Editing Talking stick (section)

==Pacific Northwest Coast art==
{{main|Northwest Coast art}}
[[File:Richard Hunt carving.jpg|thumb|Kwakwaka'wakw artist [[Richard Hunt (artist)|Richard Hunt]] carving a talking stick, Canada]]
Among many of the [[Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest]], talking sticks are carved wooden staffs, which can either bear a single crest at the top or be fully carved with heraldic clan crests of the chief or hereditary political spokesman.<ref name=wade/> The staffs can include shell inlay.<ref name=w295/> The staffs resemble small [[totem pole]]s and are still used ceremonially today.<ref name=s41>Stewart and Tait 41</ref> At gatherings, especially [[potlatch]]es, a chief or their designated speaker holds the talking stick and makes  announcements.<ref name=s41/><ref>Shearer 103</ref> The speaker thumps the stick on the ground for emphasis.<ref name=s41/> In some situations, a feather has been used as a stand-in for the talking stick.<ref>Shearer 46</ref>

Talking sticks are a contemporary Northwest Coast art form with great symbolic importance. [[Tsimshian]] woodcarver [[David A. Boxley]] was commissioned to sculpt a crown of a talking stick for the 1990 [[Goodwill Games]], that incorporated symbolism of the United States and Russia. This staff was carried from [[Spokane, Washington]] to [[Oregon]] and on to [[Seattle, Washington]] by participating athletes.<ref>[http://www.davidboxley.com/about_david.shtml "Artist's Profile."] ''David Boxley.'' (retrieved 27 Oct 2011)</ref> Talking sticks are also incorporated into [[totem pole]]s. In 1988 Kwakwaka'wakw [[Richard Hunt (artist)|Richard Hunt]] carved the world's largest totem pole featuring a Cedar Man wielding a 4.3 meter (14 foot) tall talking stick.<ref>Stewart and Tait 115</ref><ref>[http://cowichanvalleyphotos.com/cedar-man-holding-talking-stick-richard-hunt-1988 "Cedar Man Holding Talking Stick – Richard Hunt 1988."] ''Cowichan Valley Travel, Tourism and Photography Information.'' retrieved 27 Oct 2011</ref> Representations of chiefs are carved in totem poles carrying talking sticks as well as [[Copper (potlatch)|coppers]].<ref>Stewart and Tait 141</ref>