Stories Carved in Cedar

Voices from the Community

The creativity and toughness of indigenous culture is never more present than within its people. If not for their strength and resilience, indigenous communities would fall in silence. If not for the voices of their people, stories could no longer be shared. These carved cedar posts could no longer be called totems. Let us look at how their stories, legacies, and values are being kept alive to this day.

Add Your Voice

Filter

Haida
Image
Amelia Rea
Amelia Rea

Amelia Rea is an 18-year-old youth from Haida Gwaii. She belongs to the Ts’iits G’itanee Eagle clan and descends from Lucy Frank. Amelia is an advocate for Haida language and culture. She grew up going to language camps, classes and conferences with her mom. She won the Tahayghen Rosa Bell Haida Language award and was the top student in her Haida language class. Her voice can be heard in the Haidawood Yaanii K’uuga animation. Being beside her mom has led her to co-present her mom’s Haida Language Revitalization thesis at UVIC, the International Conference of Language Conservation and Documentation and at the International Haida language conferences. She has performed in many traditional Potlatches and has traveled to the National Museum of the American Indian, the American Museum of Natural History, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Celebration in Juneau. She loves culture-sharing! Visit Amelia Rea's Gallery

Read MoreRead Less

Add Your Voice

How have you kept the voice of your community alive? What are your thoughts on totems and their stories? Share your experiences and/or images like your peers before you in the Voices from the Community section. 

Please note that visitor generated content may not be fully accessible at this time and will only appear in the language submitted by the original author.

 
 
*required
 
 
 
*required
By checking this box, you agree to entrust us the copyright of the image.
*required


Please note that all content submissions will be closely monitored and moderated to ensure that they do not contain offensive language or statements that promote hatred against any identifiable group.

Image Removal Request

The Royal BC Museum is committed to a collaborative approach to the care and management of Indigenous cultural collections based on the recommendations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

This includes taking appropriate steps to restrict access to information that could considered be an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy, including:

  • culturally sensitive materials;
  • religious or political beliefs or associations;
  • sexual orientation;
  • employment, occupational or educational history;
  • information that has been supplied in confidence;
  • information that could reasonably be expected to threaten anyone's safety or mental health or physical health; or
  • information that is likely to be inaccurate or unreliable;
  • nudity

To discuss whether a particular image should be restricted, please contact privacy@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

Do you need to report a post? Please click this link to go to RBCM Website