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11TuesdayMay272014ArtsCultureArtShowByJACKDANYLCHUKPreparetobewowedwasBarbCameronsadvicetopeopletakinginDechenlaLandattheEndoftheSticksanexhibitionofpaintingsbasedonartistJenWaldensexperienceatawildernesslodgeontheCanolTrail.CamerondirectorofthePrinceofWalesNorthernHeritageCentrewasrefer-ringtothreetoweringtrip-tychsand20smallerpaintingsthatbringthedramaticvistasoftheMackenziemountainsintothemuseum.Waldendrewonherex-perienceasatheatresetde-signertoproducethetrip-tychsthatmeasure10by12feet-toohighbysixinchestobeshowninFortSmithwherethesmallerpieceswereexhibitedforamonthbeforeopeninginYellow-knifelastweek.ThecollectionrepresentsayearoflabourbyWaldenaself-taughtartistwhotracesherinuencesandinspira-tiontotheGroupofSevenandDrawnonwardacontem-poraryTorontocollectiveoflandscapepainters.WaldenstudiedtheatreandsetdesignattheUniversityofOttawabeforemovingtoPaintingsbringMackenziemountainstoYkgalleryYellowknifein2002toworkasadogmusher.IplannedtostayforjustayearbutlikealotofpeopleIfellinlovewiththeplace.Paintingwasalwaysherrstloveandtwoyearsaftertheencouragementthatfol-lowedherrstgalleryexhi-bitionin2006shedecidedtopaintfulltime.NormandBarbBarichellooperatorsoftheDechenlaLodgesawherpaintingsandsaidtheylovedmyworktheythoughtthesurround-inglandwouldtwithmypainting.Inexchangeforapaint-ingWaldenandthreeYukonartistswereguestsofthelodgeforaweekandspenthourswalkingsketchingandphotograph-ingtheland200kmsouth-westofNormanWells.ChasingLightStudiosanindependentlmcompanydocumentedWaldenscre-ativeprocess.Thecompa-nysvideoisplayingaspartoftheexhibitwhichsharesspacewithamooseskinboatmadeintheMacken-ziemountains.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheon-the-landuniversityknownforplacingstudentsinawildernessclassroomisbringingthebushtothecitythissummerstartingwitharooftopeventlastThursdaynightinYellowknife.Yellowkniferscelebratedthearrivalofspringbyshout-ingitoutfromthetopoftheDechintaCentreforResearchandLearningheadquartersonMcDonaldDr.onThurs-dayeveningwithaspokenwordworkshop.HostedbyDechintassummerinternTiffanyHar-ringtonaspokenwordpoetbasedinYellowknifetheworkshopwasmeanttoin-spirepeopletoexpressthem-selvesboththroughwritingandvoicebyintroducingthemtosomenewtechniquesandlettingthemperform.WeregettingpeopleusedtoperformingandgivingtipsonhowtostartwritingkindofsettinguptemposandrhythmandrhymeshetoldTheJournal.ItsreallygreattoseepeoplebeinginspiredandPhotosBillBradenSpokenwordartistsshoutitoutfromtherooftopDechintalaunchesBringingtheBushtoUinitiativerealizingtheyhaveavoiceandhowtousethatvoice.HarringtonwhoisMtissaidherpoetryisaformofresistanceinfusedwithalotofindigenouscontentandawaytochannelherthoughtsandfeelingsinapositiveway.Formeitsareallygreatwaytoappeasethefrustra-tionsthatIhavebyputtingthemintospokenwordandlettingpeopleknowcon-ciselyhowIfeelaboutanissue.Throughouttheworkshopparticipantsexperimentedwithexercisesinfreestylerhymingandcompositionwithalargefocusonmemo-rizationthroughimagesandgestureswhichisnotonlyapracticalskillfordoingspo-kenwordbutreectiveofanindigenoustraditionofstory-telling.Thatitselfsparkedadiscussionaboutliteracyanddecolonization.SpokenwordismorethanjustaformofpoetrytomeitspassingontheskillsthatIvelearnedfrommygrandmother.Itteachesyouaboutpatienceandallthesethings.Thisbench-markinWesternsocietyistobeliterate...andwedonthavethatcapacityanymoretoreallyrememberandtolistenandtooratesowetalkedaboutthosepowerdynamicsandcanyoubeliterateinadifferentwaythatdoesntinvolvewrit-tenwordsshesaid.Thoughshealwaysen-joyedpoetryitwasntuntilonedayabouteightyearsagolisteningtoSomalihip-hopartistKnaanthatHar-ringtondecidedtowriteherownrhymes.Ididntreallyknowwhatspokenwordwasuntilthenshesaid.SoIjuststartedwritingapoemandIfoundoutthatithadsomeowtoit.Peoplestartedlabellingmeasarapperorspokenwordartist.ConnectingthecitytothebushTheworkshopkickedoffDechintasBringingtheBushtoUsummerinitia-tiveaplanbytheaccred-itedbushuniversitytogetmoreconnectedwithcommunities.AlotofpeopledontknowwhatDechintaisorwhatwedosoweregoingtobedoingvariouswork-shopsandalsojustcom-munityengagementoverthecourseofthesummertoletpeopleknowwhatitisthatwedoandalsoen-couragethemtocomeoutlearnnewskillsorcontrib-utesomethingtothecom-munityHarringtonsaid.ThatwillbeturnedaroundlaterintheyearwhenthecitywillbeinvitedtothebushforfallprogrammingatBlach-fordLakeLodgetheschoolswildernessheadquarters.Itwillalsoincludemoreef-fortstokeepthecommunityinterestedandapprisedofwhatshappeningoutonthelandthroughonlinephotosandblogs.PhotoTiffanyHarringtonArtsCultureSpokenWordTheBigGuys30x40acrylicfeatureslargebullcaribouseenbyWaldenalongPoppyRidge-thebiggestcaribouseenduringherstayatDechenlaLodgeneartheNWTYukonbor-der.TheexhibitisondisplayatthePrinceofWalesNorthernHeritageCentreinYellowknife.JennWaldensitswithher10x12foottriptychAtopGar-netoneofthreemassivepaintingsshecreatedfromher2012explorationoftheSelwynMountains.FourparticipantsinTiffanyHarringtonsspokenwordworkshophelpedinaugurateDechintaUniversitysBringingtheBushtoUinitiativelastThursdayevening.