Shane Thompson, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, has announced four Beaufort Delta communities for this year’s Mace Tour.
Mace Tour? No, it’s not a new musical group. Or a historical review of aerosol self-defence sprays.
This is about the modern ceremonial version of a metal club used by warring factions dating back to medieval times.
One of the NWT’s most iconic symbols is the Mace. (Photo courtesy NWT Legislative Assembly.)
The community visit schedule for the 1.5-metre Mace is: April 29, Sachs Harbour & Ulukhaktok; April 30, Ulukhaktok & Paulatuk; May 1, Tuktoyaktuk; and May 2, Inuvik.
Ceremonial maces are important in many parliaments following the Westminster system.
They are carried in by the sergeant-at-arms or some other mace-bearers and displayed on the clerks’ table while parliament is in session to show that a parliament is fully constituted.
Each year, the Speaker, Sergeant-at-Arms, and members of the Office of the Clerk, visit different communities to showcase the intricate design and artwork of the Mace.
Those include northern elements, painting, carving, metalwork, beadwork, quill-work, and pebbles inside the hollow staff from each of the 33 communities.
The current mace was commissioned when Nunavut was created in April 1999.
It is considered one of the most detailed objects of its kind in the world and a masterpiece of priceless art for the people of the Northwest Territories.
