Rose Cole Yelton Memorial Totem Pole in Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Rose Cole Yelton Memorial Totem Pole holds the deepest historical connection to the physical lands of Stanley Park.
This poignant monument commemorates Rose Cole Yelton, who was one of the very last lifelong residents of the Brockton Point community. The totem pole stands directly near the location of the original family home site where she lived within the park borders.
Plaque Transcription
ROSE COLE YELTON MEMORIAL POLE OF THE SQUAMISH NATION
Raised in 2009, this pole was created to honour Rose Cole Yelton, her family and all those who lived in Stanley Park. This pole is erected in front of the house site where the Cole family lived until 1935. Until the time of her passing in 2002, Rose was the last surviving resident of the Brockton Community.
Photo Manifest Details: 1. Rose Yelton as a teenager living at Brockton Point; 2. Rose as an elder, commemorating her life at Stanley Park (photograph created by Squamish Nation); 3. Carvers: Led by Rose's son, Squamish carver Robert Yelton, ancestral name Haliyat Sewano, this pole was carved by many hands. The seven main carvers included Vern Baker, Frank Burning, Deon Louie, Martin, Shane and Nathan Sparrow, and Guulaans Flewing. Top carvers who helped include: Matthew and Richie Baker, Jody Broomfield, Ray Natrall. Included in the photo is Robert Yelton's sister Bev Joseph, nee Yelton, in the lower left hand corner. Special thanks to all who supported the carving of this pole.
Crest Display Hierarchy
From the top apex anchor down to the ground baseline foundation, the figures displayed on this Squamish Nation pole feature direct ancestral meanings:
- Thunderbird: Added for Robert Yelton's Eagle clan daughter, Lenora.
- Human Face: Positioned between the Thunderbird wings, representing the men in the family lineage.
- Raven: Commemorating when Robert Yelton was adopted by the Haida Raven clan while working in the Queen Charlotte Islands during the late 1970s.
- Wolf: Symbolizing Robert Yelton's son, Peter.
- Killer Whale: Held securely by the wolf, included by the carver to remember ferry trips across the Burrard Inlet with his grandmother Matilda when they would see whales.
- Woman holding bones: Representing Robert Yelton's mother, Rose Cole Yelton, holding pieces for a traditional lahal bone game.
Plaque illustrations by Nola Johnston.
Photo Gallery
Where is the Rose Cole Yelton Memorial Totem Pole?
The Rose Cole Yelton Memorial Totem Pole is open to the public alongside the other historic red cedar structures within the main First Nations Totem Poles meadow exhibition fields at Brockton Point in Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada. It sits right at the primary entryway trail sequence leading into the clearing.