Vancouver Island: Duncan & Chemainus

Duncan, a small town in Vancouver Island is best remembered as a town of  totem poles. One can find totem poles of all shapes and sizes planted in every corner of this town. For a small town with practically nothing to offer, this is a clever way to create something unique to market to tourists.

Totem poles are monumental carvings consisting of poles, posts of pillars carved with symbols or figures. Each pole is carved from a tree and every pole has a story to tell. Totem poles are part of the culture of the indigenous people of Canada. These days, the proper term to address these people is the "First Peoples" or the "First Nations".

Duncan also boasts of having the world's largest hockey stick and puck. It weighs 28.118 tonnes and is 205 feet long. Quite a massive structure!

The story of Chemainus is fairly similar to Duncan. The place first started as a logging town in mid-1800's. Then in 1980's, timber industry experienced a major slump. Chemainus, being a small community was having a tough time to face this recession.

Karl Schutz, originally from Germany came up with the idea of painting murals to re-vitalize the economy of Chemainus. Ten years after he floated the idea, Mayor Graham Bruce finally hired Schutz to carry out his arts economic stimulus project. The first mural was painted in 1981, two years before the sawmill closed. His plan proved successful. Today, Chemainus is painted with more than 40 murals, the vast majority of which depict scenes from the town's history.

Chemainus is a success story. Sometimes, no matter how good an idea one may have, it would remain an idea until someone sees its potential and is ready to finance and help to market it! The Chinese has a phrase for it: Your fortune might change for the better if you meet a noble (貴人)! Karl Schultz found Mayor Graham Bruce!

This painting by Paul Ygartua with images 

of the First Nations faces is considered 

the mural to see first by visitors.

Water Wheel.

In this small town, we found two tiny churches within walking distance to each other. I spent quite a while appreciating the architecture of these tinny buildings.

The Chemainus United Church.

St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church.