The ceremonial hall inside the University of Victoria First People's House.
warm welcome
This is one of the welcoming totems outside the First People's house at the University of Victoria. What I like is that they welcome the First Peoples of Turtle Island (North America) to the campus - which is quite fitting because the university is built on their land. What I also like that these totems also welcome me - a visitor to this land.
first people's house
This is the entrance to the First People's House at the University of Victoria (UVic). The idea for this house began in the UVic School of Social Work and then took hold in their Faculty (the Faculty of Human and Social Development).
The statement made by building a house like this right in the heart of a University is so important. Maybe we should all dream as big as the UVic School of Social Work - way to go!
The statement made by building a house like this right in the heart of a University is so important. Maybe we should all dream as big as the UVic School of Social Work - way to go!
monochrome portrait
Although this site is named after kodachrome (a colour film), I sometimes like to shoot in monochrome (black and white). Monochrome is especially good for portraits and other shots where colour sometimes detracts rather than adds to a scene.
300 bags
The conference I spoke of in yesterday's post was sponsored by The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities; Ministry of Education; and Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Various organizations in those sectors provided sponsorship - the Teachers Credit Union provided delegate bags. The bags were a nice green colour - which made a good photo - 300 bags packed ready with conference goodies ready for delegates.
conference
I have been helping to organize a conference that took place today – it all seemed to go well – quite a relief.
small world
I am going through some old scanned photos and came across this shot I took quite a few years ago in Guyana. The objective was, to get as far away from the beat-and-track as possible, and meet people out of touch with the rest of the world. So we traveled a day into the interior of Guyana until the roads ended, and then got a fast boat up river for another day. Eventually we arrived at a small village “cut off” from the rest of the world where people hardly ever experience outsiders, and where they live in the rain forest just like they have done for thousands of years. In that village, I met this lady, and we talked about life and the world.
“Where you come from?” She asked.
“C-a-n-a-d-a” I said very slowly, “far in the north where it is cold.”
“Where in Canada?” she probed.
“T-o-r-o-n-t-o” I replied, “It is a c-i-t-y.”
“Ah,” she said with a smile, “I know Toronto; I pass through there when I visit my son who lives in Mississauga eh.”
Hmmm, small world! Clearly I did not have to go so far to find people who were out of touch; I just needed to take a look at myself.
“Where you come from?” She asked.
“C-a-n-a-d-a” I said very slowly, “far in the north where it is cold.”
“Where in Canada?” she probed.
“T-o-r-o-n-t-o” I replied, “It is a c-i-t-y.”
“Ah,” she said with a smile, “I know Toronto; I pass through there when I visit my son who lives in Mississauga eh.”
Hmmm, small world! Clearly I did not have to go so far to find people who were out of touch; I just needed to take a look at myself.
"s" and the SLK
I took a few pictures of "S" today - and I especially liked this one with her auntie’s SLK.
parking in the sky
I know it can be difficult at times to find a parking spot at McMaster University - but I am not sure how this idea is going to help - unless the physics department has come up with something that they have not told us about yet!
charlie chaplin in havana
There was something about this backstreet scene in Havana that I liked - I think Charlie Chaplin would have felt quite at home in Cuba.
ideal home
Now this would be a nice house to live in! A shot in what used to be a family home in Havana.
grandmother and granddaughter
What interests me most when I travel is the people I meet and their relationship to each other, the place they live, and to history. I therefore especially like this shot of grandmother and granddaughter I met in Havana. When I spoke to them, the granddaughter seemed so proud to tell me that this was her grandmother, and the grandmother seemed so proud to tell me this was her granddaughter. I hope that this sentiment can be seen in the photo. If so, this photograph should warm the hearts of grandparents and grandchildren anywhere in the world. My custom, after taking photos like this, is to have large prints made and take them back for the people in the photos on my next visit. I made a note of this location in Havana I took this shot and for sure I will be taking a print back with me.
cannon
A canon on some old battlements in Havana. Looks like a 64 pounder to me - but I may be wrong.
easter friday
A shot I took in Havana that seems fitting for Good Friday. I am never sure whether to wish people a "good" Good Friday given the nature of the day, so let me instead those of you who celebrate it a meaningful one - and for Jewish friends let me wish you a meaningful Passover too.
puzzle
This evening I noticed golden apples hanging by strings from one of the great trees in the center of campus. At first I was puzzled, but then I noticed that each apple had a bite taken from it, and the puzzle unravelled. Probably the greatest puzzle in history.
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