Trivia Question: Which of Stanley Park’s famous totem poles represent First Nations from the Vancouver area?
Answer: None of them.

Surprised?

Despite the array of carvings from different cultures, not one of them is from the Lower Mainland, whose traditional residents typically do not create totem poles. Most of the poles in Stanley Park represent nations from the North Coast of BC.

Local First Nations groups have requested for years, however, that the display include some local flavour. That request has finally been answered.

According to the CBC, Susan Point, who is the First Nations artist best known for the majestic Spindle Whorl carving at YVR airport (see above), has been commissioned to create the first representation of lower mainland First Nations art to the totem pole park, currently planned to be a Coast Salish style carved wooden archway into the area.

I can’t wait to see a conceptual drawing of what the piece will look like.