Awakening the Totem Poles from their Hibernation

23 February 2013

Today I attended a delightful ceremony at Orillia's new Public Library: the awakening of two totem poles created by artist Arthur Shilling many years ago, before he became well known. At age 14 he went out into the woods to choose the tree, and at 19 he completed the carving.

When the old library was torn down and its contents placed in storage, these two totem poles were ceremonially put to sleep to wait out the building of the new structure. After ten years of this hibernation, they have been brought to the children's section of the library to be re-awakened and set in place.

School children from the nearby Mnjikaning Nation came to sit around the totem poles partly exposed from their bubble wrap. The kids had an important role in the ceremony, for they were invited to shake the totems very gently, also shaking the rattles in their hands. We had just chanted an awakening song. The gentleman leading the ceremony explained to us that he could not light even a small fire to purify the air with smoke from sacred herbs and tobacco, because that would set off the sprinkler system, no friend to books or computers, even if people didn't mind getting wet.

He handed the proceedings over to the women, "who speak to the water". Water and strawberries were blessed and passed around, with a strawberry added to the offering of food The children were asked to sprinkle a few drops of the water on the totem poles. I felt honoured to be sitting between the lady who is the "Keeper of Language" and the lady who is an elder of the aboriginal nation nearby and welcomed all to the ceremony. It was very moving to hear prayers in Ojibway and English.

I was back with friends and relatives of my dear friend Phoebe Snake of years gone by, and able to say the few words in Ojibway that she taught me to people who understand them. They in turn told me stories about this lovely lady and artist. I still have several of her beautiful creations in birchbark, sweetgrass and porcupine quills. 

I think the young reporter from the Packet and Times who attended this event has captured the spirit of it, and what fun a solemn occasion can be.

http://www.orilliapacket.com/2013/02/12/spirits-awakened-in-totem-poles

BTW, the photographer captures not quite half the kids taking part in the ceremonies. The lady with the drum addresses them as "Friends", when she wants to get their attention. A Quakerly sign of respect that I had never heard a teacher use before - including me.