First Nations pole is focus of unusual education course

by Patty Pitts

Songhees carver Butch Dick, working on "the old man."

When Songhees carver Butch Dick carefully lifts the protective wrap from the partially carved log in the MacLaurin Building's Wilfred Johns Gallery, the aroma of cedar fills the area. A paper note left on the carving is thoroughly dampened from the moisture still escaping the log, months after it was cut in the forest.

Students approach the log with respect and a bit of reverence, as if it's still a living thing. They've nicknamed it "the old man" and it's the focus of a unique course that is transforming both the wood and the students who come in contact with it.

The "Protection and Welcoming Pole" course—EDU 487/591—uses the pole to engage students in education and other fields in learning about aboriginal culture. The students were divided into teams to take their turns carving the pole and document the pole's and their progress on a website, a video, through educational materials, and ceremonies.

Throughout the process the students heard traditional songs and stories and learned through traditional indigenous methods, sometimes at a pace unlike their regular classes.

"It's a different approach," says education PhD student Joe Karmel. "Here, we're always emphasizing slowing down. It's also an examination of how we look at time."

Val Wasden, a fifth-year education student and Kwakuitl from Port Hardy, calls the course "a totally different approach to education. It takes us beyond what we had thought teaching and learning was. This is what we should strive for as a good teacher. We should reach for all levels of intelligence."

While the students used traditional methods (rolling the pole on logs) to maneuver the piece of cedar into MacLaurin, they're harnessing the latest technology to tell the subsequent stories of its transformation. Videos and other updates are posted to polecarvers.libsyn.com where team leader Dr. Ted Riecken posts weekly podcasts about the project.

As a thunderbird, whale and wolves emerged from the fragrant wood under the watchful eye of Dick, a sessional instructor and mentor to assistant carver Fabian Quocksister, the students underwent a similar change. "There's a transformation of each participant … and the transformation of our teaching methods," adds Wasden.

Dick, who taught First Nations art and culture for 20 years in the Greater Victoria school district, is pleased with the transformations that are taking place on the pole and with the students.

"We want to get away from the stereotypes and generalizations of First Nations people," he says. "The kids [in school] didn't realize that First Nations people even existed today. They've only seen them in museums and think we're all behind plexiglass. They think we all speak the same language and all have the same culture."

Dick is pleased that the house pole will reflect the Liekwelthout (north island) and Songhees (south island) styles. When finished, it will be installed in the MacLaurin Building to be a lasting First Nations presence and contribute to a more welcoming atmosphere for First Nations students.

"The course validates and values aboriginal peoples' knowledge and changes the perspective of both aboriginal and non-aboriginal students," says Dr. Lorna Williams, director of aboriginal teacher education.

"Education students and faculty have a very limited knowledge base about aboriginal culture but have expressed a deep desire to learn more. This course gives future teachers knowledge they can use in the classroom where there is currently very little opportunity for the K–12 student population to learn about the history, languages and cultures of aboriginal people."

"The ‘old man' has become a huge part of our lives," says Marlo Paige, a master's student in First Nations environmental education. She brings her two young daughters to the class which, she says, leaves her "literally walking on air. I can feel creation running through my veins. It's something I'll never forget."

The pole will be installed during a special ceremony on Jan. 20.