Whistler screening of For the Next 7 Generations scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 21, 6-9 p.m., at the Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre
Conversation around the lost wisdom of previous generations is making rounds. After decades of institutionalizing the elderly, sociologists have noted the benefits that stem from multi-generational experiences. No better example of this can be found than in the award-winning Sea-to-Sky documentary For the Next 7 Generations, which tells the story of 13 Indigenous grandmothers from various backgrounds who travel the world to share their traditional healing practices.
"I've been working in the Whistler tourism environment for just over 20 years and the issue that I feel is missing today is the ability to be able to learn from our elders, it is a loss that some of our generations are experiencing," said event organizer and certified executive business coach Caterina Alberti. "I've experienced so much diversity in culture working around here. What we learn from the variety of cultures that we're lucky to be exposed to in Whistler is more compassion, and from compassion comes forgiveness and peace."
The Tuesday evening screening, which falls on the International Day of Peace, will be followed by an open drum circle led by local First Nations artisan Xwalacktun (Rick Harry). Special guests include two local grandmothers from the Squamish and Lilwat Nations. Door prizes and sponsor tables will be on site and the evening will end with a meditation and prayer for peace.
Tickets are $20, and all proceeds will go to the Howe Sound Women's Centre and The Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers.
Yoga for the masses
Local fundraiser for Africa Yoga Project spreading a message of peace
Yoga has long been a trusted method of bringing mental and physical balance to the individual. It is also a practice being used to promote unity and non-violence for people living in difficult situations in East Africa through the Africa Yoga Project (AYP).
"By inspiring the global yoga community into active service, AYP delivers effective and innovative programs that foster peace, improve physical, emotion and mental well-being, facilitate self-sufficiency and create opportunities to learn and contribute across the communities of East Africa," reads the website.
Local resident and White Gold Yoga instructor Erin Anderson got involved with the project through her yoga instructor, Barron Baptiste. Baptiste has been setting up eight-day teacher training sessions in Nairobi and has received positive feedback from the warring tribal groups who have participated.
"These are warring tribes, these are people who have hated each other for hundreds of years and they're talking about feelings," said Anderson. "What they learned from that training session was that, 'hey, we're kind of the same'."
Baptiste and his trainees set up outdoor yoga practice sessions in some of Nairobi's biggest slums and regularly get hundreds of followers.
"In these areas of poverty for something like this to make a difference is so great. They offer street yoga where anyone can join. Kids practicing in alleyways, people practicing on garbage bags and they are keen," continued Anderson. "It also teaches women to appreciate their bodies and develop a sense of autonomy, and that they don't belong to men."
A fundraiser for the AYP will take place on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre. Included in the day is a one and a half hour yoga practice with seven local yoga teachers, door prizes, and music from a DJ and drummers. A minimum donation of $20 is appreciated.
Among the best of the body painters
Whistler resident Nina Moore placed second at Bodessy, the Canadian National Body Painting Championships, which was held in downtown Calgary on Saturday, Aug. 29. She wowed the crowds with her winning piece, an impressive "Toy Soldier," painted straight onto the skin of a volunteer model over the course of the five-hour competition. In addition to winning the title of runner-up for her efforts, Moore also walked away with $1,500 of photography prizes sponsored by Inner Spirit Photography.
Though Moore only recently moved to Canada, she already seems to be making a name for herself on the country's alternative body painting scene; in addition to her win at Bodessy last month, she also won the "Best Newcomer 2010" prize for FACE, the international face painting organization, and came in the top three at the Brussels International Body Painting Contest in February. Last year, she placed 14th in her category at the World Body Painting championships held in Austria.
Moore offers a range of services including creative make up, face and body painting, casualty simulation and special effects make up, airbrush and glitter temporary tattoos. To see some of her designs, visit www.popartz.com. Or, visit the Whistler Farmers Market on Sunday, where she runs her booth "Paint on People: Face & Body Arts!" every weekend.
Britannia Mine reopens this weekend
The Britannia Mine Museum will be showing off its new visitor attraction when it reopens to the public this weekend, Sept. 18 and 19, following a $14.7 million, three-phase redevelopment project.
The museum will be open for seven days a week, with a range of exhibits that cover the history of the mine and the uses of those mining projects to society.
The new Beaty-Lundin Visitor Centre will welcome visitors to the museum, and includes several exhibits. The highlight will be the "mining tornado" structure that is filled with items made possible by mining, and there is a new theatre space, gift shop and Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.
Also new is the Britannia A-Z Exhibit Hall, a restored building that tells the story of the Britannia community from 1904 to 1974 when the mine was active. Over 60,000 people from more than 50 countries lived and worked at the mine through those seven decades.
Other exhibits include the gold panning station, the always popular underground mine and train ride, trips into mining tunnels, and the Mill building - a 20-storey National Historic Site that is one of the last gravity-fed concentrator mills in North America. The building was restored in 2007 with new roofs and siding, and 14,416 new panes of glass.
For times, admission prices and more information visit www.britanniaminemuseum.ca.
Special guest for Whistler Valley Quilters' Guild
If you've seen the large quilt hanging in the Whistler Public Library you can probably guess that Whistler's quilters are an exceptionally talented group, turning patches of fabric into functional art.
On Friday, Sept. 17, the local quilters' guild is hosting Janet Bolton, an international fibre artist from England. She will be giving a presentation at the Whistler Public Library at 7 p.m., entrance by donation.
You can see her work online at www.janetbolton.com.
For more information on the guild, visit www.whistlerquilters.com.
WFF passes for sale
The three-month countdown to the Whistler Film Festival got underway this week, and early bird industry and festival passes are now available online at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
Passes include admission into screenings, as well as the opportunity take part in seminars, socials and other festival events. The early bird passes range from $125 to $400.
