Riverview Park & Zoo Has New Totem Pole Crafted By Jody Paudash Of Hiawatha First Nation
/On Sunday (October 2nd), there was a Totem Pole Re-Dedication Ceremony at the Peterborough Zoo to celebrate the brand new totem pole that replaced the old one that had to be removed a couple years ago.
Photo of re-dedication ceremony
"The original totem pole was erected 43 years ago (almost to the day) on Saturday, September 29th, 1973," Zoo Manager and Curator Jim Moloney tells PTBOCanada. "It was generously donated to RPZ/Peterborough Utilities by Whetung Ojibwa Crafts and was given as a symbol of friendship between our communities. It was carved by Norman Knott of Curve Lake First Nation. Unfortunately it had to be removed in 2014 due to safety concerns (it was damaged by carpenter ants and wood rot)."
New totem pole
"We felt it was important to replace the totem pole as an ongoing symbol of the area's diverse heritage and friendship among our communities," adds Moloney. "The new totem pole is approximately 12m (40') in height and features 12 hand-carved and painted totems artfully crafted by local artist Jody Paudash of Hiawatha First Nation. The project has taken more than a year."
Photo from re-dedication ceremony
