Tag Archives: Totem poles

Arts, Indigenous Nations History

Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ernest Puglas explains how carving saved his life: ‘This is powerful’

As a new welcome pole is raised on Klahoose, Homalco and Tla’amin territories, its maker describes how, through art, ‘I have recreated myself’

Editor’s note: The author of this profile sits on the board of the Cortes Community Foundation, which commissioned Puglas’s welcome pole. IndigiNews is honoured to share Puglas’s story.

By  Forrest Berman-Hatch, IndigiNews,, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Standing before a crowd of roughly 50 people on “Cortes Island,” carver Kuma’inukw (Ernest) Puglas first acknowledges his Kwak’wala lineage.

Then, he thanks the Klahoose First Nation for hosting him and for the honour of carving on its territories (the island is the traditional lands of Klahoose, Homalco and Tla’amin Nations), before unveiling his newest cedar welcome pole in a public ceremony.

Continue reading Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ernest Puglas explains how carving saved his life: ‘This is powerful’ →
Indigenous Nations History

Gits’iis Tribe calls for removal of totem poles outside Prince Rupert’s Civic Centre

By Radha Agarwal, Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Citing a history of cultural faux pas, the Gits’iis Tribe of the Ts’msyen Nation, whose ancestral lands encompass the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre site, is demanding the removal of the three totem poles outside it.

“These poles came [to Prince Rupert]. They had no business being here,” said Guu Gaa Jung (Symbia Barnaby).

Continue reading Gits’iis Tribe calls for removal of totem poles outside Prince Rupert’s Civic Centre →
Indigenous Nations History

Nisg̱a’a joyful as they prepare for return of totem pole

Trends to watch, inspirational

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The House of Ni’isjoohl and its community in northern British Columbia are joyfully preparing to welcome home their memorial pole, which has been in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh for 94 years.

In an act expressing its commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the National Museum of Scotland announced the return of the pole last December. Although the United Kingdom may think of it as a repatriation of an Indigenous artifact, for the Nisg̱a’a it is a rematriation.

Continue reading Nisg̱a’a joyful as they prepare for return of totem pole →
Community, Development, Indigenous Nations

Richard Andrews First Month as Project Manager of the Village Commons

Richard Andrews compared his first month as Project Manager of the Village Commons, in downtown Mansons Landing, to the years he was the Executive Director of a non profit in Vancouver.

“There’s a lot of planning going on right now.  We’re in  phase one of our build. We have the welcome pole to make, and a big pavilion. The funnest work is going to be making a playground.  The vending zone and the playground are mysterious right now. I have an idea of what they might be. I have an idea of what people want because we have  a lot of documentation from the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA) about the community process they went through to determine what was to be done with this property,” he said.

Continue reading Richard Andrews First Month as Project Manager of the Village Commons →
Indigenous Nations

‘Listening to the land’: Totem pole raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens

Editor’s note: Another example of the rebirth of First Nations culture on the West Coast.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – On Tuesday, Aug. 1, Naa’was totem pole was raised at Naa’waya’sum garden in Tofino, depicting “responsibilities to future generations”.

“This here is like a legal document of our peoples,” said Joe Martin (Tutakwisnapšiƛ), Tla-o-qui-aht master carver.

The Naa’was totem pole was carved by Joe in collaboration with Gordon Dick, Robin Rorick, Patrick Amos, and Robinson Cook. 

Continue reading ‘Listening to the land’: Totem pole raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens →