Harold Joe Sr.

Harold, Cowichan born, raised by maternal Musqueam grandparents, VIU Elder-in-Residence has worked in many roles including student support worker for School District 79 and a homeless support worker at the Breakfast club at Hiiy’yu Lelum. At VIU, Harold instructs Life Skills, Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps for Youth, carving, drum making and Hul’q’umi’num’ language. Harold is also a Commercial Carver of totems and a canoe builder. He understands Musqueam, Cowichan and Saanich Languages and when spoken to by Shun'chat'thun (Saanich) responds using Cowichan language. Harold began carving in 1954 at the age of 12. “When my voice started changing, my parents said it was time to learn how to carve,” he recalls. “I learned the craft from my maternal and paternal grandparents.”