COWICHAN 2008 SPIRIT POLE TO TOUR B.C.

DUNCAN – At a special Cowichan 2008 countdown event, Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen announced that the Province is sponsoring a unique Spirit Pole carving tour that will give British Columbians a rare opportunity to carve a piece of B.C. history.

“What better way to usher in the 2008 North American Indigenous Games than to carve a Spirit Pole that celebrates the history of British Columbia’s Aboriginal peoples,” said Hagen. “This will be a work of art touched by thousands of British Columbians – a permanent monument to a new relationship based on respect and recognition of our Aboriginal communities’ rich traditions and culture.”

Conceived by the Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) leadership and supported by the ministry’s BC150 Years secretariat, the Cowichan 2008 Spirit Pole: British Columbians Carve a Moment in History tour will be led by a master carver and apprentices who will transform a 20-foot western red cedar log into a Spirit Pole that commemorates the history of B.C.’s Aboriginal peoples.

The pole will embark on a 13-week tour of the province, visiting over 40 communities and offering British Columbians the opportunity to carve a portion of the pole. Completing its journey in Cowichan Bay on Aug. 1, the finished pole will be raised on Aug. 3, marking the official opening of the Games.

“The raising of the pole, equivalent to the lighting of the torch, will be an integral part of the opening ceremonies,” said Cowichan 2008 Board of Directors chair Calvin Swustus. “It will become a physical legacy marking this historic event, and the new relationships formed throughout its journey.”

Cowichan 2008 NAIG will welcome more than 9,000 Aboriginal athletes and cultural participants from across North America. The Games will run from Aug. 3 through 10 and are expected to generate more than $26 million in economic activity in the Cowichan Valley and surrounding regions. Last year, the Province announced it would provide $3.5 million to Cowichan 2008 in support of amateur Aboriginal sport and sport tourism.

BC150 Years is a celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia in 1858. Every community in B.C. is invited to participate in this year-long celebration of B.C.’s cultural diversity, community strength and widespread achievement. The Cowichan 2008 Spirit Pole tour is one of the BC150 Years flagship events.

For more information on the Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games, please visit www.cowichan2008.com. For more information on BC150 Years events and programs, please visit www.bc2008.gov.bc.ca.

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Media contact:	Don McDonald Communications Director Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts 250 356-9869

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