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This site represents an innovative project that took place at the University of Victoria in which a diverse learning community came together to carve a welcoming pole. The group had its origins with Dr. Lorna William's ideas and its foundations in indigenous teachings. Through the process of carving a welcoming pole, the learning community has been transformed by working together, personal journeys and communal ceremonies.

We would like to acknowledge the Coast Salish people who have been stewards of this land since long before the arrival of the white colonists and on whose traditional territory the university stands and the project took place.

This website is a tool not only to present the history of this innovative project, but also to provide resources such as educational tools, and to introduce the world to coastal Salish culture and traditions.

When creating this project, Dr. Williams sought to "bridge the two worlds and the two ways of knowing: the ways of knowing for indigenous people and the ways of knowing in this world that we live in today. We need people who can build those bridges and build them in powerful ways so that people can cross them in respectful and knowledgeable ways."

Explore the site further by clicking on top categories.