As carver of the International Choral Kathaumixw totem pole, Craig Galligos was an important part of last year’s choral festival, but before 2014 he had never attended it before.
Started in the 1980s, Kathaumixw is an international festival that brings together choirs from all over the world to compete in Powell River for the prestigious top title of Choir of the World.
“Before this, I knew that Kathaumixw was a choral festival, but I had never gone,” said Galligos.
However, after being asked by City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa to carve the Kathaumixw totem, Galligos soon found himself swept up in the entire event, even taking work home with him.
“The totem pole was being carved at my house,” said Galligos of the six-and-a-half-foot red cedar totem he carved with an eagle and beaver to symbolize first nations people and Canada. “It was on my deck staring me in the face the whole time.”
The name Kathaumixw is a word from Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation language meaning “a gathering together of different peoples.” Galligos said he was proud to showcase Tla’amin culture and show that it was still alive and vibrant.
“This was the first time I ever got this type of opportunity,” he said. “Once I was offered, I jumped on it.”
Galligos and his family, along with Tla’amin chief Clint Williams, Tla’amin elder Betty Wilson and Kathaumixw director Paul Cummings, travelled to Ljubljana in Slovenia this spring to present the totem to the winning St. Stanislav Youth Choir.
“It was a major milestone,” said Galligos, as he had never travelled to Europe before. “It was pretty neat to display our culture on the other side of the world.”
For Cummings, who was directing Kathaumixw for the first time in 2014, delivering the totem pole was an opportunity to showcase the festival in a unique light.
“The name Kathaumixw is from here and the totem pole is also unique to Canada,” said Cummings. “I hope it will attract more choirs to our festival.”
From carving to delivery, the entire process was documented by local filmmaker Claudia Medina, including the afternoon they took the totem to Ljubljana’s city square.
“There were hundreds of people and exhibits there, including people walking around in dinosaur suits,” said Cummings. “There was just the totem in the middle of old Ljubljana with its old architecture and cobblestones. I couldn’t believe how many people just stopped in their tracks, backed up and gaped at the totem pole.”
Medina’s 15-minute film of the Kathaumixw totem pole’s journey from Canada to Slovenia will be shown for the first time on October 8 at Max Cameron Theatre, starting at 7 pm.
Sliammon Spirit Singers and the chamber choir from Powell River Academy of Music will also be performing at the by-donation event.
