The University of British Columbia (UBC) is located on the unceded land of the Musqueam people. The totem pole in this image tells the story of how the Musqueam got their name. It was raised in 2016 as part of the UBC centennial celebrations at the University Boulevard entrance to the UBC grounds.

Activities

The Musqueam Post sits at one of the main gateways to the UBC grounds. This makes it the perfect landmark to start exploring the UBC grounds from. Some nearby sights include:

• The Nest at the Student Union Building
  • The Nest houses the UBC student government, clubs and dinning. It is a good place to get some food or drink.
• UBC Bookstore
  • This is the place to buy UBC swag such as sweatshirts or stickers. It also has a variety of local crafts and a wide selection of books.
• UBC Alumni Center
  • Explore the history of UBC with the interactive displays at the Alumni Center. The Alumni Center also has a coffee shop and plenty of indoor seating.

History

The University of British Columbia sits on the unceded territory of the Musqueam People. The Musqueam are the native group that has lived on Point Grey since ancient times. The Musqueam continue to live on reservation lands on Point Grey and work closely with the University of British Columbia.

The Musqueam Post was installed in 2016 to celebrate the University of British Columbia’s 100 anniversary. The pole was carved by Musqueam artist Brent Sparrow Jr. The pole shows the two headed serpent that the land and the Musqueam take their name from.

Design

Totem poles are an art form used by the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast. They use a variety of symbols to share legends, historical events and remember people.