A new cedar carving is gracing the halls of Eighth Avenue Learning Centre in Port Alberni that will remind future generations how the students of 2026 learned about collaboration, planning and problem solving through the creation of an enduring piece of art.
The tall piece, probably about eight feet tall, is called mamuukst̓ałin – Working Together. Funded through Island Health, the project brought together students taking Kristin Russell’s land-based learning class, who planned the piece under the guidance of three gifted artists.
According to Principal Dave Maher, the carving, initially, was intended to be a welcoming pole for Eighth Avenue Learning Center. But the class learned that the setting was not an appropriate place for a Nuu-chah-nulth-themed welcome figure.
“After consultation led by Michelle Colyn, the Pacific Rim School District manager of Indigenous Language and Culture, the concept of a welcome pole was changed to an entry plaque to better suit the protocols and culture of Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations,” said Maher.
Maher contacted master carver Gordon Dick to lead the project.
“(He) immediately took an interest in sharing his teachings and carving skills with youth from EALC,” said Maher.
The project taught students not only about Nuu-chah-nulth culture, but also about planning and problem solving as they worked on the plaque design from beginning to end. They learned about the slab of cedar they had to work with, and how to modify their design to accommodate features of the wood, like knots.
Dick brought in fellow artists Ray Sim and Ike Charlie to collaborate on the project. Ove time, students from two Land-based Learning classes worked on the project, learning about carving in red cedar. Other students at the school who were not enrolled in the land-base classes were invited to carve.
Gordon Dick stated that this carving represents more than the completion of a piece of art; it reflects the strength, patience, and growth of the students from Eighth Avenue Learning Centre who dedicated many hours to the design, carving, and finishing of the project.
“Every mark in this old growth red cedar tells part of the story,” Dick explained. “The students learned that carving is not only about creating something beautiful, but about listening, slowing down, working together, and respecting the teachings carried within the wood.”
Ike Charlie said it is important to give students the opportunity to learn their natural talents through projects like this.
“I want to encourage that,” he said.
Maher said that by working beside a master carver, students were able to learn traditional techniques, problem-solving skills, patience, teamwork, and pride in their accomplishments while building a deeper connection to community, culture, and themselves.
Artist Ray Sim said the plaque features a humpback whale and a Thunderbird, both important themes in First Nations culture.
EALC student Saoirse Sim said she was extremely proud to work alongside Gordon, Ike and her father, Ray. It allowed her entire class to learn from the great artists.
Ike Charlie said he does not like to be referred to as an artist.
“I am a communicator,” he said. “We are redistributing knowledge from the past as a gift to the future.”
The unveiling ceremony started with a barbeque lunch followed by welcoming speeches from representatives from Tseshaht and Hupacasath. School Board trustees were among the special guests.
The mamuukst̓ałin – Working Together plaque stands in the EALC foyer across from the reception office.
