Joseph Raymond Hillaire, or Kwul-kwul'tw, (1894–1967) was an Lummi artist known for his carved totem poles in the style of the Coast Salish peoples. Hillaire was also a storyteller, performer, and activist, bringing attention to Native culture, and fostering cross-cultural communication and understanding.

In 1961, Hillaire was commissioned to create two story poles for the Seattle Worlds Fair (Century 21 Exposition), one to tour the U.S. to promote the Fair, and one for Kobe, Japan, Seattle’s sister city. The pole created for Kobe tells the story of two figures, representing Seattle and Kobe, who grow closer by acknowledging the things they share, like the sea between them and the rising and setting sun, with hope for peace and cooperation between them in spite of the dark cloud of war.

Here, Joseph Hillaire, or Kwul-kwul’tw (Spirit of the War Club), shows his sketch of the pole for Kobe to William F. Devin, former mayor of Seattle and chairman of the Seattle-Kobe Affiliation Committee, and Genji Mihara, president of Seattle Japanese Community Service (Seattle Nikkeijin Kai).

Caption information source: "Seattle planning gift of totem pole to Kobe,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 30, 1961, p. 10.
Caption information source: “Joseph Hillaire: Carver of the Kobe-Seattle Sister City Friendship Pole” by Cluebbe, August 8, 2012, Seattle Art Museum blog, retrieved at https://samblog.seattleartmuseum.org/2012/08/joseph-hillaire-carver-of-the-kobe-seattle-sister-city-friendship-pole/