Explore The Royal Family's close relationship with the region, as well as the diverse artistic traditions represented in the Royal Collection
Salish Welcome Figure
1994Cedar and bark | 75.0 cm (whole object) | RCIN 74171
This statue is a model of the large welcome figures used in a potlatch, a First Nations ceremony of feasting, gift-giving and wealth redistribution. Guests arriving in a village are greeted by figures of this kind, often depicted with arms outstretched or shading their eyes as if looking out across the water for arrivals.
Doug LaFortune is a master carver from the Tsawout people of the Coast Salish First Nation, south-western British Columbia.
The statue was presented to The Queen at the opening of the XV Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, in 1994.
