Yes! Cha-Cha YEG-GA Means Business
Introduction: the Introspective Travels of Cha-Cha YEG-GA
Cha-Cha YEG-GA is a carving that was linked directly to the promotion and critical evaluation of educational pursuits and projects in the Edmonton area by the School of One Carver. The name of the carving was inspired from the extraordinary efforts of an administrator who worked tirelessly for many years as a principal in Edmonton's inner-city schools and then as the Director of the Edmonton Public School Foundation, where she proved to be the major impetus behind the development of K-School. "Cha-cha", as she is known to a select few, also proved to be an instrumental advocate for such fundamental programs as U-School and education for Aboriginal, Inuit and Métis students that integrates and promotes traditional Indigenous knowledge, as found at such pathbreaking and crucial institutions as the amiswaciy Academy. This carving is dedicated to the individual historical agency, accomplishments, contributions and wisdom of women involved in the promotion of educational programs in Edmonton, past, present and future.
The inspirational example of "Cha-Cha" also helps explains some of the journeys of the carving "Cha-Cha YEG-GA", including when the School of One Carver decided to give the piece to M.L., a gifted and dedicated student of Global Cultures, Music, History, and the Environment who recently acquired a degree from the University of Alberta School of Business. Cha-Cha YEG-GA is derived from a larger Brazillian stone acquired from the rock merchant Asad and the patriotic Canadian credentials of the larger rock were confirmed when a portion of it was used for a carving commissioned as a gift for the Colombian Ambassador for Canada by a chief University of Alberta administrator in 2013. Meanwhile, "Cha-Cha YEG-GA" was conceived by the School of One Carver during the same time as another group of YEG-GA pieces were sculpted for a "Learning Environment" exercise for a History class at the University of Alberta in 2016. The students in the course documented their own journeys with those "sister carvings" in the North Saskatchewan River Valley and then measured their River-Valley insights into continuity and change according to competing theories of "Creative Destruction" and the triumphalist march of Progress and Capitalism. The School of One Carver decided that M.L. was a fitting travel companion for Cha-Cha YEG-GA, especially since M.L.'s interest in the impact of business upon society always seems critically enriched by a keen appreciation of History and Nature as well as personal memories of experiences with the University Choir and a proud Western Canadian Francophone heritage.
Creative Instruction and 100 Years, En Fin?
The initial travels of "Cha-Cha YEG-GA" with M.L. were documented during the onset of Spring in Edmonton, a time when M.L. was in the final stages of Business School at the University of Alberta. As M.L. notes, moroever, this period also fell with the 100th anniversary of the University of Alberta School of Business. While M.L. had flourished as a student, this did not mean certain feelings of disillusionment were at play as the final days at the University of Alberta reached their successful conclusion, especially during uncertain times in Alberta. In the end, however, thoughtful introspection in and around the environs of the School of Business and the indispensable advice of a fellow "Business-Traveller" friend seems to suggest the possibilities of many worthwhile journeys in the future.
The Raven(s)
10:30AM, Thursday March 31, 2016. 3° C. Extremely windy!
The venue for first photo I took for Project Y-150 YEG-GA was in front of the Old Arts Building on the University of Alberta campus. Instead of writing about the building itself, I found it more productive and worthwhile to revisit the story of the ravens that reside in the nook of the window directly behind the carved stone sculpture. I have always been fascinated by the "Two Old Arts Ravens", as they have inhabited this area for nearly three years (perhaps even longer, but they really began to catch by eye in 2013).
One may see ravens as rambunctious scavengers or the morbid metaphor of the famous Edgar Allan Poe poem, but, to me, they are creatures that watch over campus, including when they bathe in the Winter snow. After observing these two animals on several occasions, as well as witnessing what transpired following the addition of a third baby raven last year, it is clear to me that these extraordinary creatures serve as a larger represention of life and nature through time. Undoubtedly, they will continue to survive, thrive, adapt, and even co-exist with mankind, no matter how much we frequently try to divest and distance ourselves from nature through the likes of such artifical things as physical architecture and formal education within stifling classrooms.
The educational example and inspiration of the "Two Old Arts Building Ravens" are extremely important for me to acknowledge, and the animals can tell us so much about humankind and History. To be sure, these stalwart sentinels of one significant corner of campus reminds us that everything has a connection to History if we just open our eyes and change our perspectives about life "ever more".
Balance
11:00AM, Friday March 1, 2016. 13° C. Finally, some nice weather in Edmonton!
Recently, a close friend of mine told me about Buddhism’s Middle Path which, as that friend simply put it, refers to the rejection of extremes and finding balance by following a personal path of thoughtful moderation. Lately, I have been finding myself feeling exactly the contrary and certainly out of balance (the details of which shall be omitted in the hopes of finding a lasting relation between reader and author, as opposed to a brief moment of catharsis).
The invitation to participate in this project came to me at a time that now seems far from coincidental: I was given a carving that was initially quite difficult to balance (see what I mean School of One Carver?!!!). Even though the School of One Carver soon remedied this issue with a "Cha-Cha YEG-GA makeover", the first time I tried to balance the carving it toppled over, hence explaining the white blemish you may see on the left of the image. This episode is what led me to remember, most importantly, that one opposite cannot exist without the other. Just try to imagine black without white or hot without cold. Thus, without imbalance there can be no balance. The relation between light and shadow in this photo is a perfect depiction of how two opposites must exist simultaneously in order for both to thrive.
Whether this feature of our existence is comforting, discouraging, or enlightening, feelings towards imbalance and imperfection are seemingly universal. Furthermore, if our own observations and experiences in this regard are shared, we can create an alternative histories that help create a connection between people across both space and time, perhaps leading more people towards a middle, and more balanced, path.
School of Business Celebration
11:15AM, 1 March, 2016. 15°C And getting warmer!
This year is the centennial celebration for the School of Business. The anniversary also means that there were (and will continue to be) many events hosted throughout the year to celebrate this milestone. In "their" words, the one hundred years are synomous with “excellence, relevance, and impact”, and the School notes how it is recognized currently as one of the leading business programs in Canada, complete with its 20+ undergraduate student clubs and 20,000 alumni worldwide. The centennial events, however, always left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. Spending probably tens of thousands of dollars on events boasting and selectively recalling only positive memories of the past (while omitting the negative ones) tends to suggest a lack of humility which, for me, has always seemed to define an aura surrounding and engulfing the School. As soon as a tie or a skirt is adorned to attend one of the celebratory events, the actual appreciation that we have actually learned something worthwhile is not acknowledged and even abandoned while the event itself appears to validate hubris and promote a sense of "stuck up" pompous entitlement. Granted, I always felt a little on the outside of the majority of Business School students and professors during my years within the program, and I must say that it is not that I do not appreciate what I have aquired: a degree, lifelong friends, and a handful of genuine, caring professors who taught me more in my five years at university than the rest of my education combined. Invariably, I look upon the advice of a friend who shared the same Business School experiences. When I was overwhelmed with negativity he would say, “It is important to find something you enjoy in everything you do [in life]”. So, the way that I celebrated my last days with the School of Business was by finally climbing (sneaking?) onto its roof on a sunny day, for an afternoon of thinking, mediation, and photography.