A beautifully carved 12 ft totem pole was revealed on May 22 as the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation welcomed community members and students from Ray Watkins Elementary and Gold River Secondary School for a traditional awakening ceremony in front of their newly constructed and owned Baymont by Wyndham Hotel. The day’s events began with a prayer from the younger students. The sound of Frisco Lucas and Jimmy Johnson’s drums could be heard as the elders got to work brushing the newly installed totem pole created by master carver Sanford Williams.
Students and community members soon joined in for song and dance. “It’s really uplifting to see that our community of the Mowachaht/Muchahlaht take ownership and do an upgrade,” said Lucas. Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation spearheaded the renovations of the former Gold River Chalet, after their purchase of the hotel over a year ago.
“Having ownership of the hotel really means a lot to our people,” he said. “It’s quite powerful in its own way because we’re able to open the ceremonies with our traditional chants and our brushings of the cedar,” said Lucas. “For me, the powerfulness happens in with itself, having all our youth together.
” “Cedar is often brought out to protect,” said Lucas. “That’s what the ceremony was about..
. to protect the land that it’s on and the totem pole.” While it is hoped that hotel renovations will soon come to completion, two more buildings remain to be constructed on the p.
