Hesquiaht First Nation’s Mariella Huebner was one of seven Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) Grade 12 students to run for the Totem Spirit award this year.
As part of her campaign, Huebner organized a Christmas community toy drive for the Salvation Army and volunteered at the hospital.
“We all have so much to offer in our own unique way. I didn’t really care about winning. Winning was giving the opportunity to be allowed to run for Totem Spirit,” said Huebner on Totem 70 finals day.
She said it took her and her campaign managers, Scarlett and Pallas, about 25 hours to make the giant poster next to the ADSS staircase and about nine hours to make her Totem Spirit ballot box and trifold display.
“I feel like I do really represent my family. I come from an Indigenous background, and I tried to incorporate that in my campaign,” said Huebner.
A member of the ADSS band and Leadership club, Huebner spent most of the Totem 70 tournament snapping photos for the high school yearbook.
After graduation, she says she wants to go to post-secondary to get a bachelor’s degree of science.
“I want to go to UBC and eventually become a pediatrician,” said Huebner.
Totem Spirit was originally called Totem Princess. The first Totem Princess crowned was Chris Roberts in 1966.
In 1994, the contest saw two male candidates run for top honours, and that’s when the school changed the name to Totem Spirit.
ADSS cheerleader and youth gymnastics coach Aslynd Mowat won the Totem 70 Spirit crown in front of a packed house on Jan.10.
“Huge shoutouts to the rest of the candidates, you guys made this so much more fun and I love that we got to be part of it all together,” Mowat posted on her social media. “I’m so proud of everything each one of you has accomplished. You’re all amazing and deserve to be proud of yourselves too.”
