Search for B.C.'s Best Symbol: Semifinal 2 — Totem Poles vs. B.C. Flag

CBC

2 days ago

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In a vote to (unofficially) determine British Columbia's Best Symbol, it may be the most interesting matchup of the entire contest.
The Totem Pole versus the B.C. Flag is our second semifinal, with the winner going on to face the Orca in Wednesday's championship round.
You could consider it a vote between a symbol of the coast versus a symbol of the whole province. A symbol with a common shape and design versus a symbol with diverse shapes and meanings. A symbol that comes from government versus a symbol that comes from First Nations. A symbol of colonialism versus a symbol of appropriation.
Depending on your perspective, you could give this vote on the best symbol a lot of symbolism.
But you could also just view it as two things in this province that have a lot of fans.
"For the casual observer, this was a piece of magnificent art that was unlike anything else anywhere in the world," said John Lutz, a University of Victoria historian who wrote the chapter on totem poles in the book Symbols of Canada.
"It's the grace and beauty of the carving … it was monumental."
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At the same time, the flag has plenty of defenders.
"It is actually a really interesting design," said Forrest Pass, a curator with Library and Archives Canada originally from B.C.
"The principal charge on the B.C. flag is the sun, and waves of the Pacific Ocean behind it. I think that it was a really evocative emblem for the province at the time that it was chosen … and I would challenge anyone to say that they haven't gone out and looked at a glorious British Columbia sunset, particularly this time of year, and, and not think that that's an iconic image of the province."
'Who's history are we telling?'
The only guarantee is that no matter what, there will be some disappointed with whatever wins this matchup.
"I think it would be kind of silly to go through this entire experience and just have the B.C. flag as the best symbol," said Janice Wu, a visual artist and museum educator at Vancouver's Chinese Canadian Museum.
"It just reminds us so much of our colonial past and doesn't really represent who we are today and our experience, our present and our future."
On the other hand, British Columbia's adoration of the totem pole continues to evoke mixed feelings from some, who remember the many decades that the poles were used as a marketing tool for a province that had deprived the people who created them of their traditional lands and rights.
"It's super problematic," said Mike Dangeli, a Nisga'a and Tlingit totem pole carver and visual artist.
"Who's history are we telling? And what will be appropriated if they're going to choose the totem pole … hopefully people take the time to learn without just appropriating and slapping up whatever totem they see."
Online votes can reveal mass opinion. But they can only reveal so much about the reasons why people reached their conclusion.
Voting for your choice is open until 10 p.m. PT.