BY GREG SAKAKI
École Hammond Bay recently completed some major renovations, and it turns out that wasn’t all – the school is now also home to a brand-new welcome pole.
On Saturday, Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the welcome pole, carved by Snuneymuxw First Nation carver Noel Brown, was unveiled at the front of the elementary school.
Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse was there for the ceremony and noted the importance of the land on which École Hammond Bay is situated.
“Our ancestors would spend time here and benefit from the gifts of this sacred place,” he said. “These gifts continue to shape the experience of our school community.”
The chief also acknowledged that the ceremony was happening on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“Orange t-shirts have become powerful symbols of what was lost and what could never be taken. I reflect on our people and how we upheld our way of being through this loss,” Wyse said, adding that while what was lost can never be truly reconciled, there is a path forward through shared responsibility to each other, children and the land.
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Welcome pole raised at Nanaimo's École Hammond Bay on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation… https://t.co/hKH2V8acj9#TruthAndReconciliationDay pic.twitter.com/KIafE3ptMa
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) September 30, 2023
Greg Keller, school board chairperson, called the occasion a day of reflection, reconciliation and hope.
“[It’s] a day when we acknowledge the painful truths of our history and commit ourselves to a future based on understanding, respect and unity,” he said.
Keller said the school district recognizes that for too long, Indigenous people in Canada endured the consequences of colonialism, cultural suppression and systemic injustice. He added that while reconciliation is an ongoing commitment that requires listening and learning, gathering for the unveiling of a welcome pole was a step toward understanding and healing.
“The welcome pole serves as a reminder that every person, every culture and every story matters in building a diverse and inclusive community,” he said.
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