Page 9 - Convocation Fall 2017

THE MACES
The opening of the convocation ceremony is signalled by the placement of two maces on the stage. The Royal Roads Military College mace is displayed in tribute to the history of the campus, and the Royal Roads University mace represents the history, academic direction and vision of the university. The university’s mace was a gift from its first graduating class in 1997.
The silver dome inset into the head of the mace represents the sun and the relationship of east and west. The stylized turret surrounding the dome indicates the historical significance of Hatley Castle and the former Royal Roads Military College. Three maple leaves crafted in oyster shell are inset into alternating steps of the turret, representing the Indigenous, French and English peoples of Canada.
Six crafted flutes surround the head of the mace. The silver band delineating the head and shaft is engraved with images of stylized water and balances the mace while effectively isolating the head from the main shaft, similar to the way Vancouver Island is isolated from the mainland.
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