A Wet’suwet’en delegation recently traveled to France to reconnect with the K’ëgit totem pole sold for $100 in 1938.
This trip was a collaboration between the Likhsilyu Clan, Kyah Wiget Education Society, Florida State University, York University, the Bulkley Valley Museum, and School District 54.
“This trip was funded by the Wetzin’kwa Community Forests Corporation and the British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research,” said York University Assistant Professor Ann Marie Murnaghan.
She has been studying the history of the totem pole along with cultural revitalization with the Wet’suwet’en for 15 years.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to get this extra non-academic external funding to do such a huge trip, especially to connect people directly to another place,” Murnaghan added.
“It’s quite emotional when I think about our people. I will be happy to see the totem pole and a part of our house and chief’s history, but sad at the same time,” said Laksilyu House Chief Ron Mitchell (Hagwilnekhlh).
He was part of the delegation to Paris and added hearing the pole was taken apart to be moved was disheartening.
“They should never have done that without understanding what it means to our people. Back then, they were strict about ’anuc niwh’it’ën (our laws) and when a pole fell, they didn’t move it.”
SD54 District Principal of Indigenous Education Birdy Markert also joined the delegation and echoed Mitchell’s statement.
“It’s an emotional uncovering of past stories regarding our traditions that are difficult to pull apart, but also my great-grandfather Arthur Michell’s experience of the pole’s removal,” she said.
The K’ëgit pole was erected in the early to mid-1800s by former Laksilyu house chief C’idimsggin’ïs.
After the pole was sold by A. Mitchell, who then was House Chief Hagwilnekhlh, it traveled by train to Vancouver then by boat to Paris.
Once it arrived at the Museum of Man, it went through its first restoration.
The second occurred in 2001 when the pole was relocated to the Quai Branly Museum.
“I want young people to understand what our ancestors went through as they dealt with colonisation and how hard they fought to keep our culture and traditions alive. This trip is a powerful opportunity for exchange and reclamation,” said Markert.
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