Galloway Rapids Totem Pole Raising and Civic Centre Feast takes place Saturday

Some of the preparation work underway at Galloway Rapids pullout
ahead of tomorrow's Totem Pole Raising
(image from FB event page)

Months of planning will come to a conclusion tomorrow as members of the Indian Residential School Survival Society and the families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls gather at the Galloway Rapids Bridge for a Totem Pole Raising Ceremony.

Organizers of the day long commemoration note that the pole will be put in place to honour and commemorate the MMIWG2S who have gone missing or been murdered as part of the impacts of intergenerational trauma. 

A subject they observe is one that affects all Indigenous People, regardless of their gender or nation of origin.

The pole which was created by Mike Danelli is 10 feet in height and will serve as the western twin to a similar pole that was raised in Kitsumkalum along the Highway of Tears, Highway 16 corridor.

Shuttle buses will be taking those participating from the Civic Centre to the Galloway Rapids site and back for a feast in the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre. 

The events begin at 9AM and conclude at 5 PM

At the most recent City council session, councillors approved a grant towards the cost of the use of the Civic Centre for the Saturday feast, at that Council session Councillor Reid Skelton Morven provided some additional background to the plans for Saturday.

Following the Council session, the City provided some additional details towards the shuttle bus schedule and other elements of the day's proceedings.

An event page on Facebook provides additional information as well as some photos of the prep work that has taken place at the Galloway Rapids Pullout.

More notes related to Community Events can be explored through our archive page.