Ceremonial items & artwork
Chancellor's ceremonial hood
Ay Lelum and the Good family, from Snuneymuxw First Nation, were commissioned by the University of Victoria to create a ceremonial hood with traditional Coast Salish art for the installation of Chancellor Marion Buller, in the same style that was created for the hood presented to President Kevin Hall at his installation ceremony in September 2021. The Chancellor’s hood is a collaboration between fashion designer Sandra Good with artwork by master Coast Salish artist and hereditary chief William Good and their son W. Joel Good.
The hood colours were chosen to represent the Chancellor colours, purple and gold. The artwork is a supernatural eagle by William Good and eagle feathers by Joel Good. In Coast Salish teachings the supernatural eagle is the messenger, carrying knowledge and prayers back and forth between the heavens and the earth, and imparts the vision and wisdom to guide one’s journey. The four feathers were chosen to honour Chancellor Buller’s Cree heritage. The waves in the piece speak to the water, which is a life-giving force and the waves are smooth, to usher in a smooth tenure at the university. These merged symbols are designed to align the relationship between the President and Chancellor who work together at UVic, but also to represent the blending of Cree culture and heritage with local Coast Salish traditions. Incorporating traditional Coast Salish art and history into traditional university regalia connects UVic to the traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, the land, water and air, and the life cycle of the ancient knowledge of the past being brought into the future.
Reconciliation paddle
Three cedar paddles were commissioned by UVic when hosting the National Building Reconciliation Forum in 2019. The vision for the paddles was to have three artists to represent Coast Salish canoe teachings. The paddles symbolize the value of paddling together, and represent the need for post-secondary institutions to work together to honour Truth and Reconciliation. The paddles and a walking stick were presented to Algoma University, the hosts of the 5th annual National Building Reconciliation Forum. The paddles symbolize our connections to the past, the present and the future. The paddle displayed during the ceremony represents the future and is carved and painted by two former students: Karver Everson (K’ómoks and Kwakwaka’wakw) and Margaret August (Shishalh First Nation). This paddle is a constant reminder of UVic’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
The paddle stand was created by Impact Chair in Indigenous Art Practices, Carey Newman (Kwakwaka’wakw and Sto:lo).