Heritage vs. cultural appropriation; Stouffville debates totem pole removal

Decision made in consultation with Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 4, 2017
By Simon Martin

A decision to remove the totem pole at Summitview Public School this past weekend has caused quite a stir in Stouffville.

York Region District School Board sent a letter home to Summitview students Sept. 29 telling parents the totem pole at the front of the school would be removed.

"The decision was made with the support of senior staff and after consultation with the local trustee and indigenous leaders in our closest community and partner in education, the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation," the letter states.

The letter says while the totem pole was initially constructed with positive intentions, our understanding of how cultural appropriation affects our learning environments has developed significantly.

"The totem was pole was created without consultation or involvement of members of Indigenous Nations, including members of the Indigenous Nations of the west coast, for which the totem pole is unique."

The pole was removed from the school over the weekend. Two YRDSB sources said the process was started after a complaint.

Many in the Stouffville community were taken aback by the decision.

Ed Lehming, a former Summitview council member, helped lead a community effort to fix up the totem pole 10 years ago. Lehming was concerned about the lack of community involvement in the decision as the board never asked the community about what to do about the totem pole.

"One of strategic pillars of the York board is community engagement," he said. "If you want to alienate a community, that's how you do it."

On Facebook, many people voiced their frustrations with what they labeled a politically correct decision.

"Where's the line between 'a part of our heritage' and 'cultural appropriation?' Shelley Ordorica asked.

Others believed the board did the right thing.

"I am so happy that this is finally happening. It's been a long time coming. Indigenous people have faced so much racism and oppression at the hands of the Canadian government. People may have been well-intentioned at the time, but in this age of reconciliation, it's important that we acknowledge that stereotypical representations of Indigenous people is never acceptable," Liane Zafiropoulos said.

Bernadine Mumford was the teacher who started the totem pole project at Summitview in 1973.

Mumford called the local utility company, which donated a cedar pole. The kids worked on the project in the school's furnace room, but, eventually, it got so big Mumford said the project had to be moved to the Barry family's garage on Main Street.

"The kids worked in shifts and came back when the bell rang," she said.

After months of carving and painting, the pole was finally ready to go up in the spring of 1974.

Mumford was upset about the process that led the pole's removal.

"I blame the York Region board. They haven't appreciated the fact this school is in a small community and people are especially resentful of the way it happened," she said. "There were so many things that could have happened to allow the community to have some input and it wouldn't have caused this division."

The board didn't see it that way.

"As society, we are becoming more aware of reconciliation with first nations," YRDSB chair and Whitchurch-Stouffville and East Gwillimbury trustee Loralea Carruthers said.

The letter, which was signed by principal Melanie Duckett-Wilson, superintendent of education Shawn Bredin and superintendent of Indigenous programs Drew McNaughton said the decision will also bring new opportunity.

"The removal of the totem pole provides a renewed beginning for our current students and staff to learn about and from members of our Indigenous Nations," the letter said.