“SCO is greatly saddened that this beautiful work of art was damaged during the severe storm that took place overnight.” – Grand Chief Jerry Daniels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 21, 2025
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTA TERRITORY, MB — The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is saddened to discover that our Residential School Totem Pole, created by Kwakiutl artist Charles Joseph, was damaged during a severe thunderstorm in Winnipeg earlier today.
“The powerful and towering tribute to the children who were stolen from their families and sent to residential schools appears to have been struck by lighting,” said SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “The Southern Chiefs’ Organization is working closely with Assiniboine Park to coordinate an assessment of the damage and structural integrity of the Residential School Totem Pole. We are grateful for the staff at Assiniboine Park who have secured the area and are helping to address this heartbreaking situation.”
SCO raised the totem pole on September 30, 2022, in Assiniboine Park. The piece was gifted to SCO and the plan was to eventually move the pole into a place of prominence within SCO’s transformative Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn project at the former Hudson’s Bay building in downtown Winnipeg.
The totem pole stands 21 metres tall. It tells the story of the artist Charles Joseph, who was taken away from his family as a child and forced into the residential school located in Alert Bay, British Columbia. The magnificent piece was carved from a massive west coast tree.
“We know that First Nation peoples and their families across the country continue to feel the impacts of the residential school system. I want to thank artist Charles Joseph for sharing his story with the world through his art. I am certain many visitors to Assiniboine Park have benefited from being able to see the totem pole up close and in person,” shared Grand Chief Daniels. “SCO is greatly saddened that this beautiful work of art was damaged during the severe storm that took place overnight. In addition to having a structural engineer assess the damage, we are also seeking direction from Charles Joseph on next steps for this incredible piece of art.”
The totem pole serves as a powerful reminder to all citizens to honour Survivors of residential school, their families, and to remember the children who never returned home.
Construction continues on SCO’s Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn redevelopment project.
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 32 First Nations and more than 87,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
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Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca