'A living piece': Restored B.C. totem pole unveiled in Whitehorse

A totem pole that was gifted by a British Columbia First Nation to the people of Yukon 48 years ago is now on display again in downtown Whitehorse, following several years of restoration work.

The restored totem pole was unveiled at its original spot — outside the Yukon government main administration building on Second Avenue — at a ceremony on Friday morning, to coincide with National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The B.C. Centennial Totem Pole had stood outside the building since it was given to Yukon in 1971 by the B.C. government and the Tsimshian First Nations, which had gifted a totem pole to every province and territory.

It was carved by William Jeffrey, a hereditary Tsimshian chief. Members of his family travelled to Whitehorse to attend Friday's unveiling ceremony.

"We're really honoured because we get to see something that was a living piece that my grandfather worked on so many years ago," Monica Jeffrey, said in an interview.

To know that the condition is salvageable and is actually in quite good condition, we chose that we would like to see it.- Monica Jeffrey

"I watched him growing up, being an active carver, so it was bringing back all kinds of wonderful memories for me."

For decades, the totem pole stood outside the downtown building, which once housed the Whitehorse Public Library.

Age eventually took its toll, and it was removed in 2016 so it could be restored. That work included repainting it to its original colours.

A central piece in the community

Garnet Muething, the Yukon government's art curator, said the decision to remove the pole and restore it came after people called with concerns about its condition.

"It was really a central piece in the community and truly one of the first public artworks that we had here," so people are very attached to it," Muething said. 

Muething reached out to Jeffrey's family and they started working together on the restoration.

Totem poles are traditionally not restored, but are laid to rest after they've run their course, Monica Jeffrey said.

"But meeting with Garnet and talking over the phone with the restoration expert, to know that the condition is salvageable and is actually in quite good condition, we chose that we would like to see it."

Muething said the government worked with the family and local First Nation advisers to have the totem pole lowered.

It worked with Andrew Todd, who has worked on restoring totem poles in B.C. and Alaska. Carcross/Tagish First Nation carvers Keith Wolfe Smarch and Aaron Smarch were also involved in repainting and repairing, Muething said.