The Capitol Steps

IMG_2092, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Two days ago we visited the state capitol in Olympia to learn more regarding the workings of government and to meet our elected representatives. The capitol visit gave the Ecuador youth a unique opportunity to see the democratic process up close, but I also learned a few things about my home state. For example, I never understood the degree to which Washington State divided the executive branch to prevent the abuse of power.

La Danza

This is an example of the type of experience we have shared with the Ecuador youth.

The youth presented two exhibition dances during the Pullman Powwow. During the first dance, the youth presented a dramatized history of Ecuador spanning the last 500 years, beginning from the creation of the world, passing through the conquest, and ending with the present time.

The second dance was performed by only one of the youth.

Santiago danced with a traditional Ecuadorian mask inspired by an ancient spirit known as the Ayauma. The original music suffered some kind of technical difficulty, but in order to not lose the experience, he asked the Dancing Horses Drum to sing for his performance. Obviously, he wouldn't normally perform this kind of dance with singing from the Spokane Tribe, but the combination of cultures sent a powerful message of indigenous unity.

After all the events at the powwow, the youth left with bright, glowing faces. No doubt they will treasure this experience for many years to come.

Exchange

I'm writing from Port Townsend, Washington as a translator and cultural guide for the Ecuador Youth Leadership Exchange.

We left Pullman early Sunday morning to make our whirlwind tour of the west side of the state, passing through Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Olympia, and finally Port Townsend. Later, we will continue our trip to Seattle, and finally back to Pullman.

So far, I'm not in a good position to download my photographs, but I hope to do so when I return.

Too much has happened to express in detail, but suffice it to say that we have shared an amazing experience. The group has focused much of its attention on ecology, sustainability, leadership, and indigenous cultures. The youth possess a level of insight and sensitivity that will empower them to become great leaders in the future.

Pullman Powwow

It's almost too difficult to write about my experience with the Ecuador Youth Leadership Exchange. One amazing thing will happen, and before I can think of how to describe it, something else come along that is equally incredible.

The youth participated in the WSU Powwow at Pullman and performed a special exhibition dance expressing the indigenous history of Ecuador. In addition, they also danced in the Grand Entry where three were chosen to bear the flags of Ecuador and the Andes.

Writing my observation of these events seems cold and distant, but having lived them, I feel unbelievably fortunate.



This powwow presented me with the first opportunity to dress in my regalia since the winter season officially ended. One by one, the kids posed for pictures with me.





Hall Creek Drum from Inchelium, Washington graciously allowed the youth to sit around the drum during their songs, despite the fact they had never met each other before. Dancing Horses Drum also allowed the youth to participate.



Valentina went from drum to drum, introducing herself and making friends. By the end, she sang at three or four drums in total. She also made many important contacts with cultural leaders from the Native community.



Like most of the youth, Mayumi comes from an indigenous community in Ecuador. In spite of obvious linguistic differences, the cultural similarities between North America and South America amaze me.



Alex proudly wore the flag from his school as he danced.

Persistence

The story of my relationship to this tiny plant deepens and grows.

Last Saturday, Rhonda and I visited a cultural site in Spokane to check on all the traditional roots and flowers as they begin to sprout. We did this in preparation for the young people from the Ecuador Youth Leadership Exchange who planned to visit the following day. After a long, hard winter, we mostly wanted to see what plants would have grown enough to show the youth.

When we arrived, we stepped onto a small patch of green grass where hundreds of buttercups stood in full bloom. I can hardly explain my reaction; a wave of emotion welled up within me and almost spilled out through my tears. Was the winter really that difficult for me? Had my seasonal affective disorder taken that much of a toll? A spontaneous song burst out from my body, colored with gratitude for the persistence of life, even through my darkness and occasional depression.

The following day, I returned with ten amazing students from Ecuador, two adult leaders, Valentina, and Colleen.

We spoke about the cultural and ecological history of that place, and managed to identify a handful of indigenous plants in the area. At the end, we returned to the same patch of green grass and buttercups. We stood in a circle, stopped the video cameras, and gathered our spiritual energies into one common purpose. We sang the songs I inherited from my father and grandfather. It was a beautiful moment.

A day later, the youth initiated a spontaneous talking circle regarding their experience so far. Most of them mentioned the songs and many of them said the songs created a pivotal moment in the program. One of the youth stated that he had one experience the week before, but the songs opened an entirely different dimension, almost as though the two experiences were different.

I stand in awe of the power of the plants, the spirits, and the ancestors. Who would think such a tiny, seemingly insignificant plant could affect people so deeply? Who would think it could reach across two continents and make brothers of people from such different worlds? This little flower continues to connect the many paths of my life with the invisible cords of spirit.

Return Trip

Our return trip from Victoria provided a memorable experience in its own right, but let me back up, just a little.

After we left our vehicle in Seattle and rode the bus to Vancouver, Rhonda received an emergency phone call from her brother in Spokane. Rhonda's mom suffered a minor heart attack and was admitted to the hospital. As we waited to board the ferry, we huddled together at the back of the bus and cried. Both Rhonda and I felt helpless and confused because we had no independent transportation until late the following evening. We certainly couldn't return as quickly as we would have liked.

Over the next few hours, positive updates trickled in and brought some degree of comfort. We learned that everything would be okay, so we were able to enjoy our vacation somewhat. However, we did decide to end our trip early, once we had our car again.

From the northern suburbs of Seattle, we thought we could get back to Spokane more directly through Stevens Pass. Unfortunately, about 10 miles past Monroe, we encountered a series of flashing road signs saying the pass was closed. We had to turn back to Monroe, head south to North Bend and connect to I-90. The detour brought us right by Snoqualmie Falls (pictured above).



Crossing Snoqualmie Pass, the snow began to fall in blizzard proportions. More flashing signs advised us to tune in to the AM radio to receive emergency updates. It turns out that Snoqualmie Pass was about to close for controlled avalanches. We made it over the pass within minutes of the announced closing time.

On the east side of the mountains, the sun reappeared. At about Sprague Lake (pictured above), the clouds returned.



The skies grew darker with each passing mile...



Except for brief moments of sunshine....

The Clipper

As we left Victoria, we finally got to have our Clipper experience. They say the vessel only travels at about 35 miles per hour, but it feels much faster. Also, the boat is much smaller than a normal ferry, so we felt all the tiny bumps and waves as we crossed the Puget Sound. We arrived at downtown Seattle just after nightfall.

Craigdarroch Castle

Near the end of our trip, we visited Craigdarroch Castle (pictured here), which isn't actually a castle, but a mansion built near the end of the 19th century to show the conspicuous wealth of its builder.

Victoria Streets

We didn't get a car, so we ended up walking everywhere during our brief Victoria vacation. Fortunately, all the main attraction lie within a short distance of one another. Even so, my feet hurt by the end, and we were all quite soaked from the rain.

The family posed in front of the Empress Hotel in the photograph above.



We did get to ride a double decker bus later in the day. Ridership fares were a whole $2.25 for adults, and $1.40 for children.



No trip would be complete without my classic pose in front of some major monument or building. We didn't intend for the picture to turn out this way, but I notice that I am standing between the native totem pole and the British-style Parliament Building. Is this some kind of sub-conscious commentary on the inner cultural conflicts of my mind?

Wax

We also visited the London Royal Wax Museum, just across the street from the Parliament Building. This collection was also quite impressive, though some pieces were more realistic than others. The upper floor displayed mainly historical figures, while the lower level showed mostly scenes of torture from the middle ages which were quite gruesome.

The figure above shows Queen Elizabeth II sitting very regally behind the main entrance of the exhibit.



Henry VIII and five of his less fortunate wives.



Chief Dan George.



Princess Elizabeth with rows of wax heads in the background.

Miniature World

The kids also insisted on seeing Miniature World, an exhibit tucked into a small corner of the Empress Hotel. Actually, it wasn't that small. We encountered quite an extensive collection of miniature displays showing many aspects of history, wars, fairy tales, and cultures. The top photograph shows a scene from World War II, while the bottom scene shows a coastal village of pre-contact British Columbia (two of my favorites). The scenes were quite impressive.

Bug Zoo

My children agreed that the first place they wanted to see was the bug zoo. Even McKenna agreed, which surprised me. Bugs are so far outside her range of interests. We saw a huge ant farm, hissing cockroaches, walking sticks, millipedes, and this giant green cricket thing.

After a while, I turned around and found myself alone. Rhonda and the kids had left me for the cute plastic bugs in the gift shop. The fake bugs are much safer, I suppose.

British Influence

Little pieces of the British influence abound in Victoria, from the place names giving homage to the former empire, to this little red phone booth. My children enjoyed stopping to pose for this photograph.

Victoria

We finally arrived in Victoria several hours later than expected, forcing us to miss most of the attractions for the day. However, we did have time to walk around the downtown district and see many of the nearby sights. Victoria celebrates much of its British history, while contrasting with its indigenous origins and the modern era.

A statue of Queen Victoria stands before the Parliament Building.



Totem poles contrast with the Empress Hotel in the background.



They also contrast with the glass high rise buildings in the background.



Street performers make music with improvised drums.

Cancellation

We were scheduled to take the Clipper to Victoria this morning, but high winds on the Puget Sound forced a last minute cancellation. To compensate for the unexpected change of plans, the company paid for us to take a bus to Vancouver, BC and then take the regular ferry across to the island.

Anna

Our little trip through Memory Lane ended by sharing a wonderful dinner with my childhood friend Anna Olivas, her husband, and her father. I can't begin to say how this visit affected me. For one, I was just happy to see Anna and her father after all these years, but it also brought back so many memories from my own home and family. This visit produced such a strange mix of happiness, nostalgia, and sadness.

Memory Lane

After leaving Alki Beach, we took a drive down Memory Lane, quite literally. I saw my old church, my school, and even my old house (pictured above).

My favorite memory, however, was the "Little Store," just down the street from our house. It looked exactly the same as I remember, even down to the same coat of paint. I bought my first pack of cigarettes at that store, when I was about nine years old. Actually, my parents sent me to the store with a note to buy their cigarettes. In those days, the store owner simply inspected the note, determined it authenticity, and gave me the cigarettes. Those were surely different times.

Green Grass and Flowers

After surviving the latest Ice Age in Spokane, we were all overwhelmed by the appearance of green grass and flowers in Seattle. Whitney was so moved that she sat on the grass and picked flowers for her mother. It was really quite sweet.

Seattle

It's spring break, and we brought the kids to Seattle for a much needed vacation. We arrived at about 4:00 in the afternoon, and drove straight to Alki Beach. Mostly, I just wanted to walk along the beach and see the skyline. Of course, the city makes a wonderful backdrop for pictures.

Cast List

I'm pleased to announce that all three of my children were selected to perform roles in the upcoming CYT production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Dakota will play the part of the butler and the girls will sing in the children's chorus.

Dakota was thrilled because his name appeared on the cast list surrounded by stars and he also gets to wear a microphone. I am happy for him, but when I heard the girls got a part, I cried. This is just so perfect for our children.

You can view the official cast list HERE.