On Tuesday, July 27, members of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan travelled to Mackinaw City to witness the last stop on the Red Road to D.C., a totem pole journey for the protection of sacred land and water. The giant totem, created by the House of Tears Carvers of the Lummi people in the Pacific Northwest, travelled through ten sites, including the Straits of Mackinac, on its way to our nation’s capital, raising awareness for the need to protect these sacred spaces and the rights of Indigenous people.
Bishop Rayford Ray and members of the diocese made the trip to Mackinaw City to support the cause of the Red Road and bear witness to this historic occasion. In the words of Kathy Vanden Boogaard of the Great Lakes Peace Center in Rapid River, “It was important … to attend this event to support the Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups working to protect sacred places, including the Straights of Mackinac…”
The focal point of the journey, and the stop in Michigan, was the twenty-five foot carved totem that was being carried to the nation’s capitol. Totem poles historically have been a powerful tool for promoting awareness. For the people of the Lummi Nation, the red cedar poles are traditionally carved to represent a cultural story, a tribe’s heritage or important events. Jewell James, one of the carvers of this pole explained, “They represent visions, dreams and stories that are handed down and shaped through each generation.”
The totem brought to Washington DC tells of the problems that Indigenous people face today. It shows a grandmother who is raising her granddaughter. It represents the thousands of Indigenous women who have vanished or been murdered in our nation through a red hand on the moon. Finally, it has seven tears to represent seven generations of Indigenous people who have been mistreated by the actions of non-Indigenous people. “The Totem Pole is stunningly beautiful, and its message is profound,” said Deb Nedeau of the Great Lakes Peace Center. “It was an honor to have the Lummi Nation and House of Tears Carver in our area.”
While travelling across the United States, the totem pole has stopped at locations in seven different states, all threatened by developments tied to pipelines, mining, and natural resources. In Mackinaw City, the Bay Mills Indian Community sponsored the stop to highlight the threat posed by the Line 5 Pipeline which runs under the meeting place of Lakes Michigan and Huron. Tribal leaders spoke of the cultural importance of the waterway, the efforts to preserve the waterway for future generations, and the pipeline’s problematic history, including millions of gallons of oil that has spilled into the Strait over the years.
Some were encouraged by the sense of shared responsibility they witnessed at Mackinaw City. “It was nice to see people from many communities working together to support the Red Road to DC totem pole journey for the protection of sacred places,” said Nadeau. “… we are all connected, not just humans, but all of creation. What happens to one, affects us all.”
Over the course of their long trek, the group from the Lummi nation has met with thousands of people and asked them to touch the totem. Kathy Vanden Boogaard described the experience , “Everyone was invited to come up and place their hands on the Totem Pole to add our prayers to be carried to Washington DC and having the Big Drum from the Sault Tribe and the Jingle Dress dancers added a powerful feeling of healing to the event.” Deb Nedeau summed it up nicely. “It was a beautiful day to be together.”