The cornerstone of northwest Native American art, the totem pole, became a cross-cultural rallying point last Friday as a large crowd welcomed the 19-foot totem to Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle. The event marked the halfway point of a 2,500-mile bi-national journey by members of the Lummi Nation to demonstrate the strength and diversity of opposition to a proposal by Gateway Pacific Terminals that would locate North America’s largest coal terminal at Xwe’chi’eXen, the Lummi name for Cherry Point, near Bellingham.
The Seattle event featured remarks by Bishop Greg Rickel and a welcome by Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe in Lushootseed, the language of the Salish people. All in attendance were invited to join in blessing the 19-foot western red cedar totem pole.
The unusual juxtaposition of a totem and Christian church results from an unprecedented alliance between tribal nations and faith leaders around coal exports. Recently 10 of Washington’s bishops and denominational executives signed a formal letter of support for the Lummi’s totem pole journey.
The totem pole journey is being made in honor of the life of environmental leader and treaty rights activist Billy Frank, Jr. It began August 22 in South Dakota then traveled through Montana and Washington, reaching hundreds of tribal and non-tribal community members. The journey will continue into Canada, making several stops before raising the totem on September 7 at the Beaver Lake Cree Nation.
Jewell James, Lummi elder and House of Tears master carver, has contributed totem poles for significant events before, beginning with a commemorative totem to memorialize victims of the 2011 World Trade Center attacks. “The totem in and of itself is not sacred,” James said. “It becomes sacred when people come together and unite for the cause it represents.”
For more information, visit www.totempolejourney.com.
