A totem pole that has graced the shores of the North Saskatchewan River in Prince Albert for more than four decades will soon be moving to a new home.
The totem pole was carved by two inmates at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary and donated to the city in 1975.
However, it has suffered significant damage over the years due to its wood rotting and the city has now made the decision to move the totem pole for safety reasons.
Prince Albert arts and culture coordinator Judy MacLeod Campbell says the city consulted with a number of Indigenous groups and organizations, including the University of British Columbia, on what to do.
“So, what we did is quite is quite a bit of research and consultation,” she says. “Totem poles are not part of the traditions for First Nations people in this area. Where they are is British Columbia. So, we went to UBC (University of British Columbia), the Museum of Anthropology, where they have several totem poles.”
MacLeod Campbell says after these discussions, which also included the Prince Albert Historical Society Knowledge Keepers and Saskatchewan Penitentiary, the city arrived at a final decision to lay the totem pole to rest in a cemetery near the penitentiary.
“The cultural protocol is to go to the carver and ask what they would like done. And second to that, if you can’t reach the carver or their descendants, is to engage the local community then on what should be done with the pole. So that’s the procedure we followed.”
The totem pole was carved by James Sutherland with assistance from Dale Stonechild.
MacLeod Campbell says Sutherland is deceased and Stonechild could not be located.
The knowledge keepers recommended removing the pole and laying it to rest.
However, elders at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary didn’t want it on-site so the decision has been made to move the pole to a nearby cemetery where it will be placed above ground.
MacLeod Campbell says the totem pole will be removed from the banks of the North Saskatchewan River before winter.
She says the city is now in discussions to replace it with local Indigenous artwork at the former site.
(PHOTO: Prince Albert totem pole. Photo courtesy Prince Albert Historical Society Facebook page.)