Wow - what a day. Woke up to word of orcas coming our way, then getting to watch them swim by from our deck. The whales showing up today had special meaning for me, as we headed to Coupeville soon after the orcas passed by for a gathering brought together by Roger Purdue and the Penn Cove Water Festival Association (and I soon discovered, many more wonderful folks had their hand in this too...). Roger has been the amazingly talented and generous artist behind the beautiful artwork that has graced Penn Cove Water Festival posters and tshirts for over 2 decades. The PCWFA honored him earlier this year by presenting a button blanket and cedar hat to him. This gathering was to honor me for my role in the Water Festivals over the years, and to dance Rogers button blanket. The Tsimshian Haayuuk Dancers were there to dance Rogers blanket (with the help of his beautiful daughter Gracie), and to do an Honor Dance for me. Roger presented me with a beautiful carving of one of his orca designs, and one of his amazing orca prints to Howie. Molly Hughes gave me a very cool 1930s token from one of the EARLY Water Festivals (I wasnt involved in those!). Then we were all surprised by gifts presented by Doe Stahr and the Tsimshian Dancers - beautiful cedar hat-shaped pottery bowls for Roger and for me, and then one of Does incredible blankets was given to me - I am still in shock, and feel so honored, and humbled and undeserving of such gifts - but I feel very loved, and very lucky, to live in this amazing community. Looking around the room I saw the faces of many people who have volunteered for the Water Festival over the years, and those who are keeping it going ~ this is a very special island, and I feel so blessed to be here. sigh. some photos to come ~
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 03:11:05 +0000
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