I am back from IslandWood. They were good, rich, and very full days.
These baskets are part of an IslandWood collection donated by Vi Hilbert, whose vision was that they be held and used, to enhance learning.
“Cedar root baskets are symbolic. Cedar trees symbolize the strength of the culture, planned by the spirit to serve many purposes. We know that our people used the cedar for homes, for clothing, for transportation, for firewood, for spiritual work, and for artistic treatment. So versatile! Because the strength of the cedar has such a profound variety of uses, it lets us know that as human beings we also carry the same gifts. My son Ron, the artist, saw beauty in natural things. The symmetry that’s a part of the basket art is one of the things that Ron especially had an eye for appreciating. Because he was a man who loved to work with children, he could create stories for the children when he held a basket in his hands.” taqʷšəblu (Vi Hilbert), October 8th, 2006
"It was important to teach young people to be observant and use their ears to concentrate on listening- because there were no books to learn from. It was important to be in places where there were songs being sung, stories being told and where people were informing us about what responsibilities we had to honor. It was important to listen to the earth, because the earth was our first teacher. This is why l believe that this learning center is such a very special place.”
taqʷšəblu (Vi Hilbert, July 24, 1918 – December 19, 2008), Upper Skagit Tribal Elder, a conservationist of the Lushootseed language and culture, named a Washington State Living Treasure in 1989.
I am bone tired- physically and emotionally. It started before I left. Being with the students and the trees was a wonderful break. No decisions to be made, food to cook, things to figure out, etc. I am taking it slow right now.
