The Highway of Tears Commemoration and Healing Totem Pole is a project initiated by families of the many women and girls missing and murdered along the remote stretch of Highway 16 in northwest British Columbia.

The pole is a way to commemorate those taken from the highway, to honour the families who have worked so hard over the decades for awareness, change and to keep their loved ones’ memory alive, and to provide a sacred space to come together and heal. 

Over the past several years, families and communities have organized and fundraised to see the project through.

The 20-foot pole, carved by local artist Mike Dangeli, is now complete and will be raised in a ceremony on September 4, 2020, beside the highway on Kitsumkalum land near Terrace, BC.

We are seeking support to bring a limited number of family members to Terrace for the ceremony in September. Due to the coronavirus, the pole-raising cannot be attended by more than 50 people. As such, we are also fundraising to bring all family members to the community at a later date when it is safe to do so for a feast and to visit the pole.

We gratefully accept any donations to support this important project. 

If you'd like to learn more about this project, please check out these recent articles:
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/memorial-pole-for-families-to-be-raised-along-highway-of-tears-in-b-c/

https://www.terracestandard.com/news/highway-of-tears-memorial-totem-pole-to-be-raised-on-kitsumkalum-territory-west-of-terrace/

(Photo by Jake Wray/Terrace Standard)