Royal BC Museum Introduces New Carving Program

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The public will be able to watch a pole being carved this summer outside the Royal BC Museum.

Brothers Tom and Perry LaFortune, members of the Tsawout First Nation, will rough out the pole's general shape before bringing it to the museum's outdoor upper plaza in mid-July.

They will work at the museum until early October, carving the 25-foot pole with the theme of crossing cultures and healing. The pole will be raised in October at the Victoria headquarters of the Ministry of Health.

“At the heart of the Ministry of Health’s programs and services is a desire to provide a culturally safe, respectful space for healing,” says Health Minister Adrian Dix. “The totem is a symbol of our shared desire to support reconciliation.”

The public can track the pole's progress on social media platforms and a dedicated webpage at rbcm.ca/pole. 

The pole was donated by TimberWest and selected by the LaFortune brothers, nominated as master carvers during early consultations with the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations.

Source: Royal BC Museum