Hello, Berko!
The evenings are getting longer, the sun's been putting in a few appearances and there are early signs that spring might actually be on its way.
Speaking of the sun, did you know there's one carved into Berko's most recognisable landmark? Along with a child-stealing forest woman, a two-headed sea serpent and a trickster who brought light to the world?
Here’s what we’ve carved out this week:
Down a rabbit hole on the totem pole
What’s happenin’ this week
Music, dogs and sport
Let’s get into it.
We’ve all seen it.
The totem pole is one of Berko's most recognisable landmarks and yet I'd bet there’s still a lot of us that couldn't explain what it's doing there.
I certainly couldn't until recently and I’ve been here 20+ years. A nine-metre Canadian totem pole, carved from red cedar by one of the most respected First Nations artists of the twentieth century, standing watch over the Grand Union Canal.
It turns out the story behind it, which involves a stranded lumberjack and a Canadian timber strike, is one of the best local history stories I've come across.
Here’s a potted version you can share down the pub.
The Raven on the Canal
The Alsfords were a timber firm from East London who bought the Castle Street yard in 1963. John Alsford's brother Roger left to try his luck at a lumber mill on Vancouver Island. When a strike hit, he was rescued from starvation by the local Kwakiutl community. John voyaged out to bring Roger home, and during a ceremonial pipe agreed to commission a totem pole from their artist-in-residence, Henry Hunt. The brothers came home and promptly forgot about the whole thing. Until an invoice arrived some months later. For a 30-foot totem pole.
At the base is Sisiutl, a two-headed sea serpent and protector spirit. Above that, Dzunuk'wa, a wild woman who steals children. Then a Sun figure, and right at the top, Raven — creator, trickster, and the being who brought light to the world. Hunt's grandson Jason has suggested the pole tells that story: Raven delivering light, with Sisiutl guarding it below.
I couldn’t get a good full length picture in the newsletter so you’ll have to walk down and have a look.
The timber yard closed in 1994 and is now the Alsford Wharf flats. The pole's lost a few bits to the weather and picked up a lead cap, but it's one of only a handful of authentic First Nations poles in the UK, watching over Berko because of a ceremonial promise and an invoice nobody saw coming.
Got to wonder what was in that pipe.
What is Berko's most iconic landmark?
Jesus, Etc. | Wilco
I’m With The Band | The Black Keys (feat. Beck)
Now It’s On | Grandaddy
What’s happenin’ this week
24 Feb | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Oh My Goodness (15) — film screening, presented by Berko Film Society | Details
25 Feb | Centenary Theatre | 19:30 | The Band of the Household Cavalry — event is in association with Berkhamsted School and all proceeds will go to the Household Cavalry Foundation | Details
25 Feb | Village Hall, Potten End | 10:30 | How to Look Slowly: Impressionism — Jo Rhymer is an art historian with experience at a number of leading galleries. She explains how ‘looking slowly’ deepens our understanding of impressionist paintings, enhancing our appreciation of their colour, texture, and those transitory images captured by artists
25 Feb | The Highwayman | 19:30 | Quiz Night
25 Feb | The Crystal Palace | 19:30 | Quiz Night
26 Feb | Waite & Rose Cafe, Berkhamsted | 08:00 - 09:00 | Berko Interchange — informal, free business networking over coffee
27 Feb | Mad Squirrel | 19:00 - 21:00 | Kaspar Berry — Delta Blues performance
28 Feb | Centenary Theatre | 18:30 - 19:30 | The Ultimate Eagles — endorsed by Chris Evans as "The World's Best Eagles show" | Details
28 Feb | Civic Centre | 20:00 - 22:30 | The Ultimate Stone Roses — Manchester-based tribute act whose die-hard members faithfully perform songs from The Stone Roses' debut and The Second Coming, including early fan favourites like Sally Cinnamon and Mersey Paradise, to deliver an authentic Stone Roses experience | Details
28 Feb | Grape Expectations | 14:00 - 16:00 | Sushi Making Workshop — run by Tomono Sushi Party, the relaxed, friendly session teaches participants to make four different kinds of sushi, and children aged 8+ must be accompanied by an adult | Details
28 Feb | The Goat | 21:00 | The Spectrums — live guitar rock music from the 90’s 00’s, Britpop era, with some 60’s and 70’s tunes thrown in
1 Mar | Berkhamsted Cricket Club | 10:00 | Berkhamsted Rotary Half Marathon and Fun Run — annual event organised by the Berkhamsted Rotary Club where your entry helps Rotary raise funds for various local charities | Details
1 Mar | Baptist Church Hall, Tring | 19:00 - 20:15 | Alcoholics Anonymous — the only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking
1 Mar | High street & Civic Centre | 09:30 - 15:30 | Antiques Market — lively market filled with over 50 stalls
1 Mar | The Vyne Theatre | 18:30 | The Audience — Netflix's The Crown was based on this hit play that was captured live from London’s West End in 2013 and went on to become one of the most-watched NT Live productions | Details
2 Mar | The Bull | 19:00 | Quiz Night — £12pp entry + prizes to be won + inc. food at half time (£2 of entry fee goes to Mind Mental Health)
2 Mar | Markova Theatre, Tring Park School | 19:30 | Vanity Fair — by Kate Hamill, based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray | Details
2 March | Tring Garden Centre | 11:30 - 13:30 | Cameo Lunch Club — a club for social contact for individuals who would like conversation, laughter, friendship and maybe some food
If you want to tell us (and other locals!) about something happening, use this form!
Movie Pick of the Week
28 Feb | The Rex | 19:00 | Paul McCartney: Man on the Run (15)
This energetic, revealing documentary digs into one of pop’s most fascinating reinvention stories, following Paul McCartney as he tries to outrun the shadow of the Beatles and figure out who he is next.
Berko Sports
28 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Men’s First Team | 15:00 KO (h) | vs. Tiverton Town
28 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Development | 15:00 KO (a) | vs. St Albans City Academy (cup)
Adoption edition
Spud | Bulldog | 5 | Details
That’s it for this week.
If you spotted something useful, run us up the pole and tell your friends.
— from Berko.