Located in Brock Hall at the University of British Columbia, the Victory by Honor totem replica is one of the works of art most symbolic exteriors of UBC. Different groups of people who have lived or still live on this ancestral land of indigenous peoples have given it multiple meanings. Throughout this essay, I will explain how the totem of Victory through Honor represents the resistance of indigenous peoples to political and social challenges, the unity of the diverse student body, the memory of the past to remind us to maintain the harmony between all. groups of people living and staying in this territory. According to the article "Victory Through Honor pole" on the UBC Life Blog (2018), the original totem pole was carved by Ellen Neel and raised at the 1948 homecoming football game. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay During the 1970s, the pole was moved near the student union building as a gift to the Alma Mater Society. Yet it was later severely damaged due to weathering and vandalism around the year 2000. ("Victory Through Honor pole", 2018) Carver Calvin Hunt and Merv Child of Alert Bay dedicated themselves to producing an identical pole and have made an exact replica of Victory. Thanks to Honor in 2004, which is the pole we see today. ("Victory Through Honor pole", 2018) The still standing totem has various meanings for different groups of people. In 1934, the name Thunderbirds chosen by UBC students for university sports teams gradually gained popularity. ("Victory Through Honor pole", 2018) However, it was not until 1948 that representatives of the local indigenous community, Victory Through Honor creator Ellen Neel, her husband Edward Neel and Chief William Scow, officially authorized UBC to use Thunderbird as its mascot. ("Victory by Honor", nd) Due to the event in which the flagpole and the Thunderbird symbol were presented to the University at the same time, the Victory by Honor pole signifies hospitality of the historically known people of Kwicksutaineuk, their cooperation with the University and the school spirit of UBC students. Victory Through Honor further embodies the long-term hardships endured by indigenous groups on this land. European colonialism extensively erased the culture of indigenous people by imposing many unjust laws. When the original artwork was created by members of the Indigenous community, any type of gathering of Indigenous people, including a traditional gift-giving ceremony, the potlatch, was banned by the Canadian government until federal law was amended in 1951 (Vancouver Sun, June 1). , 2017).In an era where the practice of one's own gatherings and cultural traditions is considered illegal, the promotion of Victory through Honor and the University's commitment are a necessary act of civil disobedience. By coming together at UBC Homecoming, Indigenous people showed they were allied with the university in protesting for their basic human rights. As current inhabitants of indigenous territory, we must recognize the importance of preserving the cultural treasures we have today and understanding the land beneath our feet. Victory by honor, bearing its glorious battle wounds from historical challenges, has survived the injustice of previous rulers and the deprivation of cultural heritage and created a place in which stories are told to remind people to how much the inhabitants..