Welcome pole - Maffeo Sutton Park, Nanaimo BC
N 49° 10.259 W 123° 56.360
10U E 431530 N 5446888
The Welcome Pole is a 49 foot tall Totem Pole located in Spirit Square at Maffeo Sutton Park / Sway'a'Lana.
Waymark Code: WM1646Z
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 05/01/2022
Views: 4
From the City of Nanaimo's web page on the project:
"In discussing the meaning of a Welcome Pole, Snuneymuxw leaders have shared:
...in its most holistic sense, Snuneymuxw art honours the natural world as the ultimate source of knowledge, wellness, and renewal and as well as a gentle reminder that these great lands touch every aspect of life. In a modern context, the installation of the Welcome Pole is an invitation to the broader community to think more deeply about a way of being that is built on a foundation of humility, connectivity and reciprocity.
The pole is made for this place. It acknowledges Sway’a’Lana as an historic village site that continues to have living resonance and raises awareness about the Snuneymuxw peoples’ ongoing sacred connection to the land.
Project partners include Snuneymuxw First Nation, Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, and City of Nanaimo. It is funded by the City of Nanaimo, the Government of Canada, and Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, and supported by the in-kind donation of a cedar log from Mosaic Forest Management."
A ceremony held held Thursday, Sept. 30, during an event called Honouring Our Children and Survivors on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Noel Brown's description of the pole: "On the bottom [of the pole] is the matriarch that holds up everyone, so she’s at the bottom holding up the rest of the animals,” stated Brown. “Above her is the orca— killer whale— who takes care of us when we’re at sea, and above the orca is the bear, who takes care of us when we’re on land. Up top is the eagle, that carries our prayers up to the creator and watches over us from above.."
Type of wood carving: Totem pole
Artist's Name: Noel Brown
Approximate size/height: 15 Meters - 49 Feet
Type of wood: Cedar
Other type: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
All logs must be the result of an actual visit to the wooden carving.
"Visited" only remarks will not be accepted.