SECOND INVITE

Jennifer Bate is the manager of the huge art center at the school and she was visiting Parksville last summer and contacted me, we got together and

chatted about the idea of me coming to HK and carving two totem poles, both 15 feet tall in commemoration of the schools 20th Anniversary in February

2012. After a couple of days I told her that I had thought it over and discussed it with my wife Sue and we had decided to entertain the epic

journey overseas. Jennifer and Dave had been discussing the project for quite a while so it was with great excitement that they welcomed our

 response. That is the first two stages of the concept and since then it has been a very detailed process to get to where we are today, packing to leave

the country. Not as easy as it sounds at all because how to you pack up and leave the country and know you will miss your 3 cats and six kids

and family and friends, not to mention the beautiful winter on Vancouver Island. So we sold our house and stored our belongings and off we go.

So far I have put together a full totem pole project complete with designs, photos, I`ve shipped some of my personal tools off while they, the school in HK,

are sourcing other tools and equipment, living quarters, building a carving shed out on the playground, oh and the fun part of shipping the logs over by

freighter, definitely another detailed learning experience to put together all the shipping factors for two logs and some cedar shakes for the carving shed.

 Lots of teamwork is bringing this educational creative journey together, and I am not only impressed with the schools efforts but I am also impressed with

their enthusiasm and respect toward me and my Tsimshian culture. What a blessing to be able to bring my over 34 years of Tsimshian art experience  to

a school in another country that is welcoming all of the ingredients with open arms. A far cry from the lack of interest in my fathers Tsimshian homeland.

Please come back every week for more updates on this incredible creative journey, as we make history in Hong Kong carving some of our red cedar into

something special rather than processing it into chopsticks to selll back to Canada.

Thanks for joining me on another Raven`s Journey.