Halalt Memorial Pole - Crofton, British Columbia, Canada - Outside Wooden Display Carvings on Waymarking.com

The Totem Pole
This totem pole is called a memorial pole in honour of those who have passed and those who are living. The top symbolizes guidance - to the Creator when going into the Spirit World. The middle symbolizes heart - to all your surroundings on Mother Earth. And the bottom symbolizes grounding - to keep you stationary to Mother Earth.

Story - Thunderbird, Watchman, Sun and Moon
An elder became a watchman for his community. He was getting worried for his people because there were very few salmon coming up the river to spawn. He then began to sing (st'ilum) to the great Creator for help. His st'ilum was a t'iwi'yulh (prayer). Since he had been standing for some time he sat down to rest his legs. Another elder, who was much older than him, came by to keep him company.

The older elder then turned to the younger elder and said to him "I heard you from where I was and it was a nice st'ilum t'iwi'ulh. I now call you Le'lumu'xhun, which is 'Watchman for the Salmon'." And so he became the watchman, night and day, with the help of the thunderbird.

As for the watchman's t'iwi'yulh, it was answered, and not long after, the watchman notified his people that the salmon had come in. The older elder then asked the watchman what salmon had come in? The watchman said, "It's kw'a'luhw (chum salmon or dog salmon)." This story is never ending as the kw'a'luhw comes every year during the fall run.

The moral of the story for the community is that t'iwi'yulh (prayers) will always be answered through the heart of the community. Unity, and most of all, humbleness are what counts to have prayers answered.

Halalt Logo
The Halalt (Xu-lel-hw) logo is the watchman (Le'lumu'xhun) holding a salmon with a thunderbird (s-hwuhwas'us') on each side, Symbolizing day and night. Day and night is identified on the wings of the thunderbirds by the sun and the moon.