"Old man" on the move

Pole moving.

Volunteers take the thunderbird/whale protection and welcoming pole, affectionately known by its carvers as "the old man," to its final destination—the foyer of the David Lam auditorium in the MacLaurin Building. The pole was moved from the Wilfred Johns Gallery, where it was carved last fall, to its final installation location, where it was celebrated in a Jan. 20 ceremony. Prior to the move, both the pole and those who volunteered to move it were blessed during a traditional ceremony. The pole was the centerpiece of a course offered by the faculty of education to engage students in learning about indigenous teaching and learning. Faculty members and students took turns carving the pole and documenting the process on a website, a video, and through educational materials and ceremonies.

Correction

Last month's Ring incorrectly identified the carvers who worked on the thunderbird/whale protection/welcoming pole mentioned above. Fabien Quocksister, a Liekwelthout/Songhees master carver, was the lead carver on the project. Songhees carver Butch Dick acted as mentor carver.