5 communities, 5 elements, 5 objects… countless stories.
For the ELEMENTAL initiative the VSOS is working with 5 different communities in Vancouver, from March 2011-June 2012. Each community uses stories about a different element (air, earth, water, fire, metal) as a central metaphor. A storytelling workshop series is followed by the creation of a physical legacy and community celebration.
ELEMENTAL. will be showcased at the 19th Vancouver International Storytelling Festival, June 2012.
ELEMENTAL: air
Kite making workshop in Strathcona
From March – May 2011, more than 300 kids and seniors living in Strathcona built a giant “Storytelling Rokkaku” (Japanese fighter kite) during ELEMENTAL air.
History: The Strathcona Community Centre approached the VSOS to collaborate on a project that would help provide activities for their youth during the extended March ‘School Closure Days’. Because of the demographics of Strathcona, the metaphor materialized as kites; just as kites need the wind and air to fly, stories need the breath and air in order to be heard.
From the stories shared over kite making, a series of ‘hopes and wishes for the world’ were distilled and then incorporated onto the tail of a giant Rokkaku (Japanese six cornered kite). The Strathcona Youth Council took on the project and helped steer Stories on The Wind towards a Youth Week event.
The May 1st event was a lovely kite-flying and storytelling festival in Crab Park (at the foot of Main st.) with professional storytellers, kite crafting and flying. As the kites flew, they released their prayers and stories onto the wind and the music and stories were amplified through a pedal-powered sound-system (http://pedalpower.org/)
ELEMENTAL: earth
For earth close to 100 community members are invested in the building of a cob “storytellers’ bench”. This is a partnership with the Native Education College (NEC) and the Mt. Pleasant Family Centre, giving a solid grounding to the intentions launched during air. Elder storytellers indigenous to the land shared stories of the earth and plants at a community workshop series, hosted at the NEC. These workshops increased awareness of the land’s historical, geographic, political, peopled narrative.
In the Spring there is the opportunity to participate in the design and construction of a cob bench. This process will be facilitated by the mudgirls.
photo of earthen home taken in Tiebele by Claudine Pommier
The site for our ‘storyteller’s bench’ is the N/W corner of Robson Park at 13th and St. George. This is a very relevant site because it is the headwaters of St. George Creek as well as a nexus of business (Hyundai car dealership), service providers (Kivan Boys and Girls Club, Family Place, Odyssey) and private residences as well as being part of a public park with a wide array of activities and users including a community garden. Additionally, it is part of the Mt. Pleasant Watershed.
Many community groups have been raising awareness of the creek while working towards meeting the needs of all the intersecting interests. Through building a cob bench, the VSOS is in direct support of daylighting the creek. A bench at this location would provide a wonderful opportunity to take rest and contemplate ‘source’ while also being a physical reminder of the need for ongoing dialogue and story-sharing within healthy communities.
- Developing a kinaesthetic kin aesthetic for the design of our bench
We are grateful to Green City Builders for helping us up-cycle Rubble into Urbanite! Thank you to Beth at ClayZone Ceramic for the clay.
ELEMENTAL: water
On the November 2011 full moon, we began a 6 week storytelling workshop series co-sponsored by the VSOS and Vancouver Community College. Participants were invited to bring a “water” story of their choosing to the workshop.
By bringing careful consideration to the location of VCC on the False Creek Flats the VSOS’s intention was to foster an understanding of and respect for the land’s historical, geographic, political, peopled and wild narrative. We are currently making a book of “watermarks” for each story. Fibers for the book were sourced at The Means of Production Garden which is located in China Creek Park.
ELEMENTAL: fire
For fire we will work at the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre (MACC), from February to March 2012. In respect of the demographics of South Vancouver (61% S.E. Asian), participants will share fire-related stories while learning the life cycle of certain herbs that, according to Ayurvedic medicine, have the tonifying and warming qualities of fire.
Finally, working with the University Women’s Club, in May 2012 metal is conceived as a give-away, honoring the West Coast tradition that one’s wealth is measured by how much you can give away.
ELEMENTAL:what stories are made of… is an opportunity to engage with the social, cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of Vancouver, in a creative, multi-storied context.
To date, ELEMENTAL is made possible through funding from the Canada Council, City of Vancouver (Cultural Services), Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (Neighbourhood Matching Fund), and the BC Arts Council
We are grateful to our partners, the Strathcona Community Centre and Youth Council, The Mt. Pleasant Family Centre, the Native Education College, Vancouver Community College, Moberly Arts and Culture Centre and the University Women’s Club
As the year continues, we are excited to grow our community of partners, funders and artists.
