Located at the University of British Columbia's Brock Hall, the Victory Through Honor totem replica is one of UBC's most symbolic outdoor works of art. It has been given multiple layers of meaning by various groups of people who have lived or still live in this ancestral land of indigenous peoples. Throughout this essay, I will discuss how the Victory Through Honor totem pole represents indigenous resistance to political and social challenges, the unity of the diverse student body, the memory of the past that reminds us to maintain harmony among all groups of people who live and stay 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 during the 1948 Homecoming football game. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay During the 1970s, the pole was moved near the Student Union Building as a gift to the Alma Mater Society. However, it was later severely damaged due to weathering and vandalism around 2000. (“Victory Through Honor pole,” 2018) Carver Calvin Hunt and Merv Child of Alert Bay undertook to produce an identical pole and completed the exact replica of Victory Through 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 Thunderbirds name chosen by UBC students for varsity sports teams gradually gained its popularity. (“Victory Through Honor pole”, 2018) However, it is only in 1948 that representatives of the local Aboriginal community, the creator of Victory Through Honor Ellen Neel, her husband Edward Neel and Chief William Scow, officially granted permission to UBC to uses Thunderbird as a mascot. (“Victory by Honor,” n.d.) Due to the event in which the pole and the thunderbird symbol were donated to the University at the same time, the Victory by Honor pole signifies the hospitality of the historically known Kwicksutaineuk people, 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 intensively erased the culture of indigenous populations by imposing numerous unjust laws. When the original artwork was raised by members of the Indigenous community, any type of gathering of Indigenous people, including the traditional gift-giving ceremony, the potlatch, was prohibited by the Canadian government until federal law was changed in 1951 (Vancouver Sun, June 1, 2017). During a time when practicing one's cultural encounters and traditions is considered illegal, the University's promotion of Victory Through Honor and its efforts are a necessary act of civil disobedience. By coming together at UBC's homecoming event, Indigenous peoples demonstrated their alliance with the university to protest 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 Through Honour, carrying its glorious battle wounds from historical challenges, has survived the injustice of previous rulers and the deprivation of cultural heritage, and has created a place where stories are told to remind people how far people have come on this Earth. Victory is achieved through honor when groups of people have been considered and have.