It was a studio belonging to a first nations artist. The totem pole was carved in honour of the renowned artist Art Thompson (google Art Thompson artwork, Nuu-chah-nulth artist for details) who grew up in the residential system, had a troubled youth as a result but got it together as an adult and became an artist and more importantly took up the cause of justice for his people.
The older of the three men on the truck bed is the main carver, the other two are assistance and the fellow with whom I spoke contributed to the painting.
I asked about the totem. He said the wolf is the law giver, to disobey the laws of his culture is to cause the wolf spirit to all but abandon you. The orca is "the wolf of the sea". There was so much more but unfortunately that was all I retained.
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The totem pole was being transported five minutes south of here to be erected at the site of the residential school. Talk about turing a negative to a positive.
I arrived in Torinfo around 7pm after taking a slight detour to Ucluelet. I stopped to take a few pics. and when I saw a couple I stopped my car to chat. I said "so what should I see while I'm here?". It soon became clear from the women's curt almost sarcastic response they were either drunk or stoned. That ws it for there. I decided to continue on the Tofino. I may return. I may not. The first slightly negative encounter to date.
Tofino is beautiful. I went down to one of the numerous wharfs to catch the sunset. I met an older couple from Ontario. When I told them what I was up to, the woman said "it's going to be a great book". I smiled and said "God love ya, you have no idea wht it's going to be about but you think it's going to be great. That's very encouraging." I had wanted to give them my blog site but I got distracted in conversation with others and it didn't happen. I spoke with a first nations man who ferried the water taxi back and forth to his home on Flores Island. Very friends, very chatty. He talked about the sunset and how in the summer the wharf is crawling with photo enthusiasts waiting for the sun to descend. I walked further along and waited. It didn't take long. Soon a young women, early 20s maybe stood next to me with her camera that refused to focus. My old reliable Kodak didn't have that problem and I was able to get some decent shots.
The young woman was Asia. She was in Tofino with her mom and Grandma to commemorate the one year anniversary of the passing of her father. Earlier that day, they scattered his ashes. Turns out her mom and dad had spent one day on Vargas Island and she asked me if I knew which one of the several islands in front of us was Vargas. I said I didn't know but was sure the man I had spoken with earlier would know. I walked over and asked if he knew and, of course, he did. I know when he pointed to it, I felt sad as I imagined what must be going through her head as she looked across the water. We chatted for a while longer and I gave her my blog site. The man had said the best time to see the sunrise was some time around 6am the next morning. I awoke this morning around 6:30am. I was out by 7am and who should I meet half an hour later but Asia. "Hello", I said as I approached. She was listening to her ipod but smiled when she recognized me. She told me about the sunrise I had missing and I promised myself I'd see it 2moro. What a lovely young woman.
It's 11 am and I'm at Vincente's cafe (named for Vincente Van Gogh, my favourite artist). It's small and cozy and filled with chatting people. I'm in the back corner with a good perspective (fly on the wall sort of thing) and I'm about to sign off and go book a room at the Paddler's Inn, if there are any left. I'm outta here.
More to come.
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