Eastside since colonization, it honours First Nations, LGBTQ, Japanese, Chinese and South Asian survivors of racism and injustice
On Nov 5 2016, a historic moment in time occurred. Here are some of the interviews and photos and videos I created to document this, so that it can live on and never be forgotten.
Sadly I did not get any interviews with the actual women who worked on the Survivor's Totem Pole but I hope to in the future. And please forgive my ignorance on not knowing everyone's names. If someone could be so kind to provide them I will happily post them. Thanks.
This was the invite:
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
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
More links
https://survivorstotempole.wordpress.com
@SurvivorsTotem
A Survivor's Totem Pole raised by communities struggling for justice and dignity in the Downtown
Eastside since colonization
These are some of my heros!! and other special moments from the day!
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
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| Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016 |
Related Links:
From the Georgia Straight
Bernie Williams's Survivors' Totem Pole will be a symbol of hope for residents of the Downtown Eastside by Amanda Siebert
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.”
“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.”
Other Links
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/11/survivors-totem-pole-raising-photos.html
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/11/surviors-totem-pole-raising-pigeon-park.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/survivors-totem-pole-vancouver-downtown-eastside-1.3838801?cmp=rss
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/11/enos-poirier-ancestry-kalapuya-iroquois.html
