HOSAQAMI

(An extract from his Journal while at sea aboard HMCS St. Croix in August, 1960)

From 1910 to 1960, the Royal Canadian Navy's Gunnery personnel were trained in HMS Excellent on Whale Island at Portsmouth, England. These RCN "graduates" wished to give the Royal Navy and Excellent something to remember Canadians and their friendly association over the RCN's first fifty years.

The specifications for the gift were that it should be "large, useless and difficult to keep clean." In Victoria, Chief Mungo Martin, a Kwakiutl carver of some renown, agreed to carve a totem pole (subsequently to be known as HOSAQAMI), for presentation. It certainly was large, weighing two tons and 25 feet tall, relatively useless and damned hard to clean.

The carving of HOSAQAMI was started with the first ceremonial cuts made by Captain E. T. G. Madgwick on May 1, 1959, and completed on July 10, 1959, when LCdr. H. E. T. (Hal) Lawrence and Lt. W. Hodgkin, accepted the totem from Chief Martin.

The totem was transported from the West Coast to Halifax in HMCS New Waterford, and spent the winter of 1959-60 in the Gunnery School. On July 15, 1960, HOSAQAMI was embarked in HMCS Kootenay for passage to Portsmouth and his new home on Whale Island.

While HOSAQAMI would be a unique gift, the ceremony marking his presentation to HMS Excellent was to be equally unique and memorable. Fifteen RCN members who were of North American Indian ancestry, volunteered to form a special escort for HOSAQAMI. It was this escort and the "informal" presentation ceremony which was to add so much fun to the occasion, and underscore the friendly and professional relationship between the two navies.

The native escort gathered in Halifax for the first time in mid-July. Seven members flew in from the West Coast, while the remaining eight came from the Atlantic Command. All joined HMCS St. Croix, Kootenay's sister ship in the Fifth Squadron, as regular members of her crew. They included:

AMBA Wilfred Beaver (Sick Beaver) - Six Nations
AMBA Gus Bisson (Gishtenh) - Ojibway
ABWS Jacques Fisher (Little Bear) - Cree
ABAR Eric Jamieson (Bocachica) - Six Nations
P2RT Fred Jamieson (Little Pine) - Six Nations
ABWU Peter Jamieson (Wild Flower) - Six Nations
OSRS William Kenoshemeg (Little Big Knife) - Ottawa
ABRP Hal Lecoy (Little Hawk) - Saultaux
ABEM Gordon McBryan (Thunder Cloud) - Shoswap
ABLM John McHugh (Black Bull) - Blackfoot
ABBN Charlie Rabbitt (Crazy Cloud) - Sioux
ABRP Dennis Timothy (Oak Tree) - Six Nations
SLt. Bill Shead (Weeteego) - Cree

On arrival in Portsmouth on July 27, 1960, it looked as if there was a holiday. Throngs of people were seen on the shore while many others cruised by in numerous pleasure craft which played around the ships as they entered Portsmouth Harbour. On coming alongside, the native escort charged ashore. One party ran off in the direction of the aircraft carrier HMS Centaur, while others ran off toward a Whitby-class destroyer. The second party was waylaid by the press for pictures and a multitude of questions. The first party's visit to Centaur produced an interesting result.

The captain had just finished "Requestmen and Defaulters" when he found himself surrounded by seven "Red" Indians. He was surprised beyond imagination, but he willingly accompanied them to St. Croix for a drink in the Wardroom. As he was escorted in, the room fell silent. St. Croix's captain, Cdr. "Wild Bill" McCully, and the executive officer, LCdr. "Pappy" McLeod, looked at each other in dumb surprise. They immediately realized that the previous evening they had suggested that it would be a great lark for the escort to go ashore on arrival to "capture the first two 'Brass Hats' they came across." The escort's first act of "terrorism" surprised both English and Canadians alike, but was received in good "spirit" by all.

On July 28, the weather was rather dreary but improved as the day progressed. The morning was spent preparing for the official presentation that afternoon. A Pipe of Peace, essential to the ceremony, had not yet arrived from Canada. A member of the escort, with some forethought, had carved one just in case of such an emergency, however a hole fifteen inches long had to be made through the pipe's stem. It couldn't be done on the ship, but the job was done by an apprentice pattern maker in the Dockyard. Because of this ingenious young fellow, the Pipe of Peace was made ready for its important role in the presentation ceremony.

With only the briefest survey of Whale Island in the late forenoon (and still only a very sketchy concept of the ceremony), the stage was set for the presentation of the totem.

The RCN "entourage" left the Dockyard at 1430. A Royal Marine Band led the procession. A guard followed with HOSAQAMI, borne on modified gun carriages, bringing up the rear. The native escort manned the outboard positions of the drag ropes. The streets of Portsmouth en-route to Whale Island were crowded with people watching the strange procession. On a signal, the escort would run through the crowds shouting and giving out the odd war-whoop. Here is one news report:

"BUS QUEUES FOULED UP INDIANS 'RAID' UK SEAPORT

Portsmouth, England, July 29 - Fifteen full-blooded Canadian Indians "invaded" this English seaport yesterday and some of the residents are still wondering what happened. It's not that the Indians scalped anyone-a nightly feature on British television-or shot up the city with arrows, but they clearly did the next worse thing. They fouled up the bus queues. Running through the narrow streets of Portsmouth, waving their lances and feathers, the Indians delighted thousands who knew what they came for. It was the few who didn't know, who were worth watching. 'Here,' shouted an old lady, as she jumped with fright from her spot in the bus queues, 'they should get rid of this lot, they should'."

Before beginning the ceremony, we had a few minutes while the totem was being positioned. Other members of the escort went on a tour of the base while I went into the Wardroom for "tea" and a news conference with the RCN Officer-in-Charge, Commander John W. McDowell. It was a chilly day, and being half-dressed, I appreciated the spiked tea. Going out into the brisk air afterwards, I felt no chills-only a cold sweat of nervousness.

The audience formed a huge circle around HOSAQAMI on the cricket pitch in front of the Wardroom. Capt. Haddon, RCN, Commanding Officer of HMCS Niobe, made the introductions. Capt. J. S. Dalglish, RN, the CO of HMS Excellent, Capt. Haddon and Cdr. John McDowell, RCN, then joined the escort around the fire in front of HOSAQAMI. As I was going to be spending quite a bit of time at the microphone, PO Jamieson acted as the "host" to Captain Daglish and the other officers.

Following the introductions, Captain Dalglish was made a member of the Sioux Nation. He was given a headdress and a blanket to wear. The "Peace Pipe" was lit and passed around. (It was vile!) Then a demonstration wrestling match took place between Peter and Eric Jamieson, with Eric Jamieson winning (he was the larger of the two).

As in all Indian ceremonies, there had to be a dance. Captain Dalglish and the other two officers took part. The escort did not look out of place, but the Captains and the Commander certainly did! But they participated with much goodwill and good humour. Following this, Cdr. McDowell officially presented the totem pole to HMS Excellent.

After the few remaining speeches, a "Potlach" was held. The Royal Navy provided two barbequed pigs and barrels of "Brickwood's Best"-a local ale. Not to be outdone, the RCN supplied a multitude of hot dogs, and five hundred bottles of "Oland's Ale." (There was a big push by each Navy to ensure that every one drank their own country's ale). Entertainment was also presented. The losing member of the wrestling match took on three Englishmen and beat them all.

This was the presentation, and the ceremony associated with it did much for the friendship between the two navies. The "Potlach" was thoroughly enjoyed, and a genuine feeling of comradeship dominated the day. I was proud to have been part of the occasion. More importantly, I was very pleased to have enjoyed the support and friendship of my native colleagues who formed the official escort. If it were not for their willingness and cooperation, the small part we played in this event would not have been so well received-nor as much fun!

Epilogue

I understand HOSAQAMI remained at Whale Island after the closure of HMS Excellent in 1985. The totem suffered from rot due to the UK climate and was virtually destroyed in a major wind storm that swept the UK a few years later. It was returned to Halifax about 1990, where the Historic Resources Conservation Lab of the Canadian Parks Service examined it for possible "treatment." Edward T. Paterson, Chief of Historic Resources Conservation for Atlantic Canada, wrote Cmdre. Charles Westropp on August 16, 1990 noting: "Apart from the obvious and extensive breakages and loss of various appendages, there are fairly large areas of surface rot and other areas of internal rot leaving a surface veneer which is intact but inherently unstable." Some time after this, the totem found its way to Esquimalt.

As stated, HOSAQAMI was carved in 1959 by Chief Mungo Martin. He was assisted at the time by his grandson, Tony Hunt, a well-established carver and artist in his own right living on the West Coast. Following the totem's return to Esquimalt in about 1993, the Navy consulted with Tony, who properly counselled the Navy not to restore the totem, but to allow HOSAQAMI to return to his natural state (rot) in a place of honour. "His" present location is behind the memorial wall in front of the Chief & Petty Officers Mess at CFB Esquimalt, a most appropriate location.

This past February, my wife Lynn and I were visiting the West Coast and met with a couple of my former shipmates who formed part of the HOSAQAMI escort to HMS Excellent 41 years ago!

We paid a visit to the totem to see it returning to its natural state (rotting) behind the memorial wall at the C&PO's Mess. Incidentally, the mess also has a small scale model of HOSAQAMI on display inside.

The two fellows we met with were Gordon McBryan and Don Clouston. Don was the second oldest member of the escort and retired from the Navy some years ago. He and his wife have a farm in Sooke. Gordon left the Navy after his original "hitch" and was involved in his own construction business. He now resides in Peachland, BC with his wife Lynn. As for the remaining members of HOSAQAMI's escort, we believe Charlie Rabbitt is in the Calgary area, while the Jamieson brothers may be in the Brantford, Ontario region. John McHugh died some years ago. We are now making an effort to track down all the others in an attempt to get together later this year.

"Hosaqami" as carved in 1959.	"Hosaqami" as "he" appears today, returning to "his" natural state behind the Memorial Wall at the C&PO's Mess at CFB Esquimalt.
The author, SLt. Bill Shead, OIC of the official RCN native escort, looks on as Captain J. S. Dalglish RN, Commanding Officer of HMS EXCELLENT, puffs on the peace pipe.
The RCN Native Escort - In both photographs, Front Row: L to R - AB Wilfred Beaver, AB Charlie Rabbitt, AB Hal Lecoy, SLt. Bill Shead, AB Gordon McBryan, AB Russell Bomberry and AB Eric Jamieson. Back Row: L to R - LS Don Clouston, AB John McHugh (deceased), AB Dennis Timothy, OS Bill Kenoshemeg, PO Fred Jamieson, AB Jacques Fisher, AB Peter Jamieson and AB Gus Brisson.

(Bill Shead of Winnipeg Br., served in the RCN from 1956 to 1978, transferring to the Reserve as a LCdr., and finally retiring in 1992. He has also served with distinction in the Public Service and several Aboriginal organizations, and was Mayor of the Town of Selkirk, Man., from 1980 to 1983.)

(Originally Published in Vol. VII, No. 14, Spring 2001 issue of Starshell)