Camosun College says their applied research and business innovation arm – Camosun Innovates – has developed a “ground breaking” technology that allows totem pole carving using sustainable second-growth cedar that combines traditional Indigenous art practices with modern engineering. Originally imagined by Indigenous artist Carey Newman, the apparatus allows carvers to work with multiple beams of second-growth cedar instead of old-growth logs. The project, which Newman calls ‘Totem 2.0’, emerged from what he says is a deep commitment to preserving old-growth trees while advancing traditional art forms… The custom-designed carving apparatus features a rotation mechanism that allows carvers to position source timber for access from any angle, what they say is a significant ergonomic innovation. The apparatus has been intentionally designed so that it can be disassembled to fit in a pickup truck for easy transport, facilitating use by multiple artists and communities.