0:05

my name is Natasha Mary Sam I was born

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in Whitehorse Yukon Territory Canada the

0:12

stories behind the totem poles where I

0:14

am from are not told anymore and for me

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trying to find the story behind the

0:19

Lewis park totem poles has been like

0:21

trying to find a lost culture

0:36

my name is Mary Everson I’m from the

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Comelec Indian band born and raised here

0:44

the original poles that were put up were

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purchased by the city of Courtney from

0:50

Cape Mudge and then they were replaced

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in 1957 by by the it was a centennial

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year for for the province and so it was

1:03

put up as to replace the old ones that

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were really decaying quite badly and

1:09

Mungo Martin he’s them on that carved

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them I love them because we were a part

1:15

of it as a child and and they’ve always

1:17

been here and when they were replaced

1:20

the first time with my dad it was a big

1:24

deal there was probably three maybe two

1:27

three thousand people all lined up

1:29

everywhere and when they put them up

1:33

because it had been the first time any

1:34

totem pole and in the valley here was

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put up and according to the history

1:41

Comox was known for its extreme amount

1:47

of totem poles and one of the explorers

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said totem poles everywhere so it was my

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father said this is just a starch and so

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in the crock-pot Walla here which is the

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buggered language it’s called CCU and

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and it’s a double-headed serpent which

2:08

way you’re going to go is how you’re

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going to live out your life and at the

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bottom here the see Caesar is holding on

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to it what we call a show of our wealth

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our wealth is

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with coppers and it’s a copper shield

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that is used to represent our wealth and

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our wealth has got nothing to do with

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money it’s got nothing to do with

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possessions it has to do with songs

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stories and dances that the family owns

2:39

can you explain the symbolism behind the

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pieces my name is Carver Everson I’m a

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Comox band member the bottom figure is

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the copper and that represents great

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wealth within the family the second

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figure is the CC youth it’s a two-headed

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serpent and it has three phases so one

3:01

in the middle and then two at the other

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end two-headed serpent and it represents

3:08

great protection and power and then the

3:11

top is an eagle it’s also like a really

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it stands for protection and you know

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wealth and it’s something that’s always

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seen and throughout like the north west

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coast is the eagle and it’s always good

3:27

fortune piece-by-piece

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the symbolic meaning of the story of the

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Lewis park totem poles came together

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totem poles hold stories in a sense they

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represent time history past and possibly

3:41

act as a guide with lessons and memories

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I hope people are encouraged by my video

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to find here and remember the totem

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poles keeping their stories traditions

3:52

languages and arts alive

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