The Lower Rotunda is on the main floor of the Parliament Buildings, underneath the Upper Rotunda and main dome. From this point, the dome stretches to a height of 30.5 metres (100 feet). The Parliament Buildings' architect, Francis M. Rattenbury, chose to use an octagonal renaissance-style dome to distinguish them from the many circular neo-classical domes used in U.S. state and federal capitol buildings.
In the centre of the Lower Rotunda is a hand-laid Italian mosaic. Placed on the mosaic is Shxwtitostel (pronounced: Schwe-tea-tos-tel), a traditional inland river canoe, carved by the Honourable Steven Point, 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and Chief Tony Hunt, Hereditary Chief of the KwaGulth and master carver. Shxwtitostel means "a safe place to cross the river" in Halq'eméylem and represents the idea of a bridge between peoples.
Mr. Point first found the red cedar log from which the canoe is carved while walking along Ross Bay beach in Victoria. The log's tapered ends suggested that someone had started carving it into a canoe in the past, possibly as many as 500 years ago. The canoe is carved with the shovel nose, eyes, scales and tail of the legendary monster Slahkum from Chilliwack's Cultus Lake. The sides are engraved with the crest of Mr. Point's father. When the project was finished, the Lieutenant Governor officially gifted the canoe to the people of British Columbia.
Coast Salish peoples used canoes like Shxwtitostel to fish in rivers by night. A fire was lit in the pit at the bow and a hunter would hide behind a bulrush blind. The hunter would then spear the fish that would come to the surface, having been attracted by the light.
