Saturday, November 5, 2016

Survivors Totem Pole Raising- PHOTOS & VIDEOS

The Survivor's Totem Pole raised by communities struggling for justice and dignity in the Downtown Eastside since colonization, it honours First Nations, LGBTQ, Japanese, Chinese and South Asian survivors of racism and social injustice

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016



I have been editing photos and video since I got home ...so about 6-7 hours now so please forgive me if I do not use many words, just copying and pasting somethings.  It was a wonderous day and I feel TRULY BLESSED I was at this historic event. There are so many people I want to acknowledge properly...forgive me for not doing so right at the moment.

From the Georgia Straight article
http://www.straight.com/arts/821626/bernie-williamss-survivors-totem-pole-will-be-symbol-hope-residents-downtown-eastside

"Pigeon Park has always been very significant for people from all walks of life, so we started talking to the matriarchs, hereditary chiefs, the Japanese and Chinese communities, South Asian, Filipino, and Latin-American communities, and the First Nations communities about creating something.”

The grassroots movement began five years ago, and Williams says it has been a tough but rewarding process.

After consultations with the City of Vancouver regarding the location of the pole, and support from the Musqueum, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, the Survivors’ Totem Pole will be erected this Saturday (November 5) in Pigeon Park, at noon.

The pole, carved from a 27-foot, 982-year-old red cedar log, is the first of its kind, in that it will represent all cultures.

This pole is for everybody: it represents the resilience of everyone who has faced racism, colonialism, sexism, LGBTQ-bashing, gentrification, and more,” Williams says. “These things have really affected this whole community. We want to let people that are moving into this area know that this is a great community, that we are still part of it, and we’re not going away.

“We are hear to stay, and this pole is a lasting legacy for these people, and all the people that have helped make this happen.”
"








Today I was blessed to attend the Raising of the Survivors Pole on the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver

#DTES
#SurvivorsTotemPole
#TotemPole
#PigeonPark

This was the beautiful invite
Come Celebrate With Us!

We’d like to start by acknowledging that we live and work on the ancestral and unceded territory of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh, sel̓íl̓witulh, & xʷməθkʷəy̓əm nations.

Taking place on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

We humbly invite you to the raising of this historic:
SURVIVORS TOTEM POLE

Date: Saturday, November 5th, 2016
Please bring drums, regalia and banners
11:30am Gather at 401 Main Street, Carnegie Community Centre

12:00-5:00pm Procession to Pigeon Park, Potlach, Witnessing Ceremony & Intercommunity Storytelling; Fish Stes and Entertainment (Sawagi Taiko, Tzo'kam!, Sean Gunn, Sound Tribe, Red Circle, Linda Lojan, DJ Rex, Dani and Lizzy)

Accessibility information: Wheelchair accessibility, Chinese Translation, Elders and Disability Drop off area at North end of Carrall Street.

For more information: email sacredcircle.society@gmail.com
or visit https://survivorstotempole.wordpress.com/

Pls.
Join us.
Walk w/us.
Sing w/us.
Dance w/us.
Celebrate w/us.
Heal w/us.

We r still here.

hay ce:p q̓ə.
Howa'a.
\o/

It was so much more than I could ever expected. Deeply touched that I could document such a beautiful celebration.
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/11/surviors-totem-pole-raising-pigeon-park.html
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/10/survivors-totem-pole-nov-5-2016.html

The DTES Survivors' Pole goes up at Pigeon Park.
We r following our West Coast, Musqueam & Haida, protocols.
City & Park r supporting our Matriarchal leadership.
DTES folks, FNs, Komagata Maru descendants, Chinese Head Tax descendants, Japanese Internment descendants, Hogan's Alley Folks, LGTBQ, BLM, Métis, Gypsy, Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society
U r invited to stand w/us.
To sing w/us.
To dance w/us.
To feast w/us.
To honour those who we've lost & those who were stolen.
To REclaim our space.
To share the beauty n strength of the DTES.

Carved by master carver Bernie Williams, known by her Haida name as Skundaal.
SACRED CIRCLE SOCIETY
More links
https://survivorstotempole.wordpress.com
@SurvivorsTotem

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